Nikki Grimes

but I know he wants to be a big hip-hop star. He’s just afraid he won’t live long enough to do it.

but I know he wants to be a big hip-hop star. He’s just afraid he won’t live long enough to do it.

All I’m saying is, you’re a walking drama, man.

“Money is the alpha and omega. Ask anybody.”

“Roses are red, violets are blue.”

We talked about superficial judgments, how people look at you and think they know who you are, what you are, how they put you in a box: jock, china doll, whatever.

If only they could give homework a beat and put it on a CD. Now that would work for me.

remember: Some things are better late than never

“Instead of trying to force your words to rhyme, I want you to start thinking of poetry in a different way. A poem paints a picture using words. So a narrative poem is a poem that tells a story and paints a picture using words. You want to use language that is lyrical, that is descriptive. If rhyme comes to you naturally, it’s fine to use it. But if it doesn’t, that’s fine, too. Rhyme and poetry are not synonymous! Okay?”

everybody bleeds red.