Bad quirky poetry might be better than some of the good stuff because it really comes from the heart.

Poetry is the utterance of deep and heart-felt truth - the true poet is very near the oracle.

You can find poetry in your everyday life your memory in what people say on the bus in the news or just what's in your heart.

I don't think you get to good writing unless you expose yourself and your feelings. Deep songs don't come from the surface they come from the deep down. The poetry and the songs that you are suppose to write I believe are in your heart.

But I liked Yeats! That wild Irishman. I really loved his love of language his flow. His chaotic ideas seemed to me just the right thing for a poet. Passion! He was always on the right side. He may be wrongheaded but his heart was always on the right side. He wrote beautiful poetry.

When truth has no burning then it is philosophy when it gets burning from the heart it becomes poetry.

Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings and making music with them.

When I leave here when my final day on this earth is up I want to leave in peace. I want to have peace in my heart.

The Nobel Prize is an honor unique in the world in having found its way into the hearts and minds of simple people everywhere. It casts a light of peace and reason upon us all and for that I am especially grateful.

Malcolm X made me very strong at a time I needed to understand what I was angry about. He had peace in his heart. He exerted a big influence on me.