The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said "A civilization is judged only in its decline." That made sense to me. I would imagine the same is true for poets and tennis players. Nikki Giovanni More Quotes by Nikki Giovanni More Quotes From Nikki Giovanni Deal with yourself as a individual, worthy of respect and make everyone else deal with you the same way. Nikki Giovanni inspiring happiness inspirational There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don't expect you to save the world I do think it's not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect. Nikki Giovanni success inspiring happiness She knows who she is, because she knows who she isn't. Nikki Giovanni identity knows Style has a profound meaning to Black Americans. If we can’t drive, we will invent walks and the world will envy the dexterity of our feet. If we can’t have ham, we will boil chitterlings; if we are given rotten peaches, we will make cobblers; if given scraps, we will make quilts; take away our drums, and we will clap our hands. We prove the human spirit will prevail. We will take what we have to make what we need. We need confidence in our knowledge of who we are. Nikki Giovanni quilts feet hands A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is; once you do, you can learn about the new world you're in and take advantage of it. Nikki Giovanni transition people world Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts. Nikki Giovanni encouraging inspiring inspirational Mistakes are a fact of life. If you are willing to be wrong then you have earned the right to be right. Nikki Giovanni willing mistake facts 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 mistake attitude way We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again. Nikki Giovanni strong brave laughing Once you know who you are, you don't have to worry anymore. Nikki Giovanni who-you-are knows worry A lot of people refuse to do things because they don't want to go naked, don't want to go without guarantee. But that's what's got to happen. You go naked until you die. Nikki Giovanni inspiring reality people We have a world to conquer...one person at a time...starting with ourselves. Nikki Giovanni conquer inspire world The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure. Nikki Giovanni trying Now, everything I do, I do because I want to. And I believe the best is yet to come. Nikki Giovanni best-is-yet-to-come want believe We love because it's the only true adventure. Nikki Giovanni heartbreak love life Libraries...house our dreams. Nikki Giovanni library dream house America may not be the best nation on earth, but it has conceived loftier ideals and dreamed higher dreams than any other nation. America is a heterogeneous nation of many different people of different races, religions, and creeds. Should this experiment go forth and prosper, we will have offered humans a new way to look at life; should it fail, we will simply go the way of all failed civilizations. Nikki Giovanni race dream civilization I want to be clear about this. If you wrote from experience, you'd get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy. Nikki Giovanni empathy writing book Show me someone not full of herself and I'll show you a hungry person. Nikki Giovanni hungry show-me beauty We obviously need the truth. We're living in a country of lies. Nikki Giovanni country lying needs
