“ Through the years I have seen myself as a peaceful person, but the awareness of the anger is part of that process. Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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 commerciali… Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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… Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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 indigo… Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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 know… Yusef Komunyakaa
“ I'm turning you into a girlchasing a butterfly, a she-wolfon a hilltop, & then back into a woman. Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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 lav… Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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. Yusef Komunyakaa
“ 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? Yusef Komunyakaa
