The only way you can grow is to let yourself make mistakes and create contradictions. As we learn new things, some of our old attitudes will change. Nikki Giovanni More Quotes by Nikki Giovanni More Quotes From Nikki Giovanni Sacred cows make very poor gladiators. Nikki Giovanni sacred cows poor The poet can only write the poems; it takes the reader to complete the meaning. Nikki Giovanni poet writing book I move on feeling and have learned to distrust those who don't. Nikki Giovanni trust-issues feelings moving History is wonderful. We have so much we can learn if we would quit making ideology out of history, and just deal with what happened. Nikki Giovanni deals quitting wonderful If i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want Nikki Giovanni satisfied want jobs If now isn't a good time for the truth I don't see when we'll get to it. Nikki Giovanni truth-is good-times ifs I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try. Nikki Giovanni inspiring inspirational life I would put books on par with chocolate, because a good book is delicious. Nikki Giovanni good-book chocolate book I love you because no two snowflakes are alike, and it is possible, if you stand tippy-toe, to walk between the raindrops. Nikki Giovanni rain love two I think we're always in love. It's that simple. And it's important to remember that love doesn't have anything to do with sex. It's two different things. Being in love is the happy part. I was teasing my gentleman, "We know that you're in love when you cook for us." It's true. When men cook for you, they're in love. Nikki Giovanni being-in-love simple love-is In the name of peace Nikki Giovanni ubuntu war peace I used to dream militant dreams of taking over america to show these whitefolks how it should be done i used to dream radical dreams of blowing everyone away with my perceptive powers of correct analysis i even used to think that i'd be the one to stop the riot and negotiate the peace then i awoke & dug that if i dreamed natural dreams of being a natural woman doing what a woman does when she's natural i would have a revolution. Nikki Giovanni dream america thinking I am so hip even my errors are correct Nikki Giovanni self-love african-american errors We need to make sure our children travel to see things. Not necessarily long distances but at least out of the neighborhood. On a train. A boat. An airplane. Nikki Giovanni airplane distance children Some say we are responsible for those we love. Others know we are responsible for those who love us. Nikki Giovanni responsible african-american love A white face goes with a white mind. Occasionally a black face goes with a white mind. Very seldom a white face will have a black mind. Nikki Giovanni black white mind I am of the generation of segregation. Black Lives Matter is post. I said today, and I will say all the time, "If Nina [Simone] were here, she'd have her Black Lives Matter [T-shirt] on." I think they're great kids. They don't need me or anybody else to tell them what to do. Nikki Giovanni black kids thinking go barefoot Nikki Giovanni bed summer sleep Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations. Nikki Giovanni spiritual love years Everyone understands that love comes in many different packages and is used in many different ways. You cannot love beyond your years, nor can you fail to love beneath them... In other words, I think you get the love you need when you open your heart. Nikki Giovanni love-you heart love-is