Don’t come giving me, who’s old enough to die and too near blind to create anything any more anyhow, a great big banquet that you eat up in honor of your own stomachs as much as in honor of me- who’s toothless and can’t eat.
Yet the ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond-jade, Are only silly puppet gods That people themselves Have made.-.
Cheap little rhymes A cheap little tune Are sometimes as dangerous As a sliver of the moon.
Life dosent frighten me at all.
There is no color line in death.
I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness.
Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry – I’ll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die.
Pleasured equally In seeking as in finding, Each detail minding, Old Walt went seeking And finding.
Looks like what drives me crazy Don’t have no effect on you – But I’m gonna keep on at it Till it drives you crazy, too.
Out of love, No regrets – Though the goodness Be wasted forever. Out of love, No regrets – Though the return Be never.
Lawrence has a wonderful hill in it, with a university on top and the first time I ran away from home, I ran up the hill and looked across the world: Kansas wheat fields and the Kaw River, and I wanted to go some place, too. I got a whipping for it.
To create a market for your writing you have to be consistent, professional, a continuing writer – not just a one-article or a one-story or a one-book man.
Love is a naked shadow, On a gnarled and naked tree.
Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful!
It has seemed to me that most people are generally good, in every race and in every country where I have been.
Never look for a worm in the apple of your eye.
The depression brought everybody down a peg or two. And the Negro had but few pegs to fall.
Peace We passed their graves: The dead men there, Winners or losers, Did not care. In the dark They could not see Who had gained The victory.
Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. There are words like Liberty That almost make me cry. If you had known what I know You would know why.