144 Maya Angelou Quotes for You to Enjoy

Maya Angelou

American Poet

Born: Apr 4, 1928

Died: May 28, 2014

Life Love Me People Time You

Related authors: Edgar Allan Poe Emily Dickinson Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Ralph Waldo Emerson Robert Frost T. S. Eliot Walt Whitman E. E. Cummings

I've still not written as well as I want to. I want to write so that the reader in Des Moines, Iowa, in Kowloon, China, in Cape Town, South Africa, can say, 'You know, that's the truth. I wasn't there, and I wasn't a six-foot black girl, but that's the truth.' Maya Angelou

Black people comprehend the South. We understand its weight. It has rested on our backs... I knew that my heart would break if ever I put my foot down on that soil, moist, still, with old hurts. I had to face the fear/loathing at its source or it would consume me whole. Maya Angelou

Me Heart People Old Soil Black Hurts Face Down Our Backs Would Rested Comprehend Consume Foot Had Weight Put Knew Understand Still Source South Break Whole Ever

I'm happy to be a writer - of prose, poetry, every kind of writing. Every person in the world who isn't a recluse, hermit or mute uses words. I know of no other art form that we always use. Maya Angelou

In a long meter hymn, a singer - they call it 'lays out a line.' And then the whole church joins in in repeating that line. And they form a wall of harmony so tight, you can't wedge a pin between it. Maya Angelou

I did work in a strip club, but I didn't strip. I danced, and I became very popular. Maya Angelou

Work Club Danced Strip Became Very Did Popular

Autobiography is awfully seductive; it's wonderful. Once I got into it, I realized I was following a tradition established by Frederick Douglass - the slave narrative - speaking in the first-person singular, talking about the first-person plural, always saying 'I,' meaning 'we.' Maya Angelou

I liked to write from the time I was about 12 or 13. I loved to read. And since I only spoke to my brother, I would write down my thoughts. And I think I wrote some of the worst poetry west of the Rockies. But by the time I was in my 20s, I found myself writing little essays and more poetry - writing at writing. Maya Angelou

Time Myself Thoughts Writing Down Think I Think Worst Would Brother Some About More Only Poetry Write Spoke Since Liked Wrote Read West Essays Loved Little Found By The Time

I could fall in love with a sumo wrestler if he told stories and made me laugh. Obviously, it would be easier if someone was African-American and lived next door and went to the same church. Because then I wouldn't have to translate. Maya Angelou

Love Me Church Made Fall Easier Laugh Would Would-Be Someone Wrestler Could He Obviously Because Same African-American Door Stories Translate Then Next Next Door Lived

I'm always disappointed when people don't live up to their potential. I know that a number of people look down on themselves and consequently on everybody who looks like them. But that, too, can change. Maya Angelou

Change People Down Live Too Everybody Potential Disappointed Like Know Look Looks Always Up Them Themselves Who Number Consequently

I think I have had so much blessing - I've had my brother, who was brilliant - I think my family came closest to making a genius when they made my brother - Bailey was just all of that. He loved me. Maya Angelou

Family Me Blessing Genius Brilliant Made Think I Think Brother Had He Bailey Making Came Closest Just Loved Much Who

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