Gwendolyn Brooks Quotes

Surely--But I am very off from that.From surely. From indeed. From the decent arrowthat was my clean naivete and my faith.This morning, men deliver wounds and death.They will deliver death and wounds tomorrow.And I doubt all. You. Or a violet.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

She was afraid to suggest to him that to most people, nothing happens. That most people merely live from day to day until they die. That, after he had been dead a year, doubtless fewer than five people would think of him oftener than once a year. That there might even come a year when no one on earth would think of him at all.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

Live not for Battles Won.Live not for The-End-of-the-Song. Live in the along.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

Exhaust the little moment. Soon it dies.And be it gash or gold it will not comeAgain in this identical disguise.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

We real cool. WeLeft school. WeLurk late. WeStrike straight. WeSing sin. WeThin gin. WeJazz June. WeDie soon.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

my dreams, my works, must wait till after hell I hold my honey and I store my bread In little jars and cabinets of my will. I label clearly, and each latch and lid I bid, Be firm till I return from hell. I am very hungry. I am incomplete. And none can tell when I may dine again. No man can give me any word but Wait, The puny light. I keep eyes pointed in; Hoping that, when the devil days of my hurt Drag out to their last dregs and I resume On such legs as are left me, in such heart As I can manage, remember to go home, My taste will not have turned insensitive To honey and bread old purity could love.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

We are each other's harvest, we are each other's business, we are each other's magnitude and bond.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

One reason that cats are happier than people is that they have no newspapers.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

When you love a man, he becomes more than a body. His physical limbs expand, and his outline recedes, vanishes. He is rich and sweet and right. He is part of the world, the atmosphere, the blue sky and the blue water.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

Art hurts. Art urges voyages - and it is easier to stay at home.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

A writer should get as much education as possible, but just going to school is not enough; if it were, all owners of doctorates would be inspired writers.

~ Gwendolyn Brooks