Quotes by Yusef Komunyakaa

“See how forgiving - how brave nature is.”

“Title: Blue Light Lounge Sutra For The Performance Poets At Harold Park Hotelthe need gotta beso deep words can'tanswer simple questionsall night long notesstumble off the tongue& color the air ind...”

“Ive been here before, dreaming myselfbackwards, among grappling hooks of light.True to the seasons, Ive lived every wordspoken. Did I walk into someones nightmare?”

“I ate mythology & dreamt'- Yusef Komunyakaa (Blackberries)”

“Years ago you followed someonehere, in love with breathkissing the nape of your neck,back when it was easy to beat least two places at once.”

“I originally wanted to embrace the imagery and forthrightness of rap music. There are some interesting, dynamic voices in rap. But I find most of it irresponsible in its overt violence and commerci...”

“Through the years I have seen myself as a peaceful person, but the awareness of the anger is part of that process.”

“We were born between Oh Yeah& Goddammit. I knew lifeBegan where I stood in the dark,Looking out into the light,& that sometimes I could seeEverything through nothing.The backyard trees breathedLike...”

“A goddess of dawnscooted under a zing of barbed wireto witness your birth.”

“Go & tell your drinking buddies& psychoanalyst your neighborhas risen from the ashes. I wonderif I should tell you about the love lettershidden behind the doorjamb. This housestill stands among my ...”

“I'm turning you into a girlchasing a butterfly, a she-wolfon a hilltop, & then back into a woman.”

“Students often have such a lofty idea of what a poem is, and I want them to realize that their own lives are where the poetry comes from. The most important things are to respect the language; to k...”

“I’ve been here before, dreaming myselfbackwards, among grappling hooks of light.True to the seasons, I’ve lived every wordspoken. Did I walk into someone’s nightmare?”