There are two ways to worry words. One is hoping for the greatest possible beauty in what is created. The other is to tell the truth.

Quote by June Jordan

Topics: June Jordan Quotes

The courts cannot garnish a father's salary, nor freeze his account, nor seize his property...

The courts cannot garnish a father's salary, nor freeze his account, nor seize his property...

So, poetry becomes a means for useful dialogue between people who are not only unknown,...

So, poetry becomes a means for useful dialogue between people who are not only unknown,...

Language is political. That's why you and me, my Brother and Sister, that's why we...

Language is political. That's why you and me, my Brother and Sister, that's why we...

One of the reasons I came to Berkeley was because I saw so many students...

One of the reasons I came to Berkeley was because I saw so many students...

To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself....

To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself....

The music of language became extremely important to me, and obvious to me. By the...

The music of language became extremely important to me, and obvious to me. By the...

I wrote those poems for myself, as a way of being a soldier here in...

I wrote those poems for myself, as a way of being a soldier here in...

In the process of telling the truth about what you feel or what you see,...

In the process of telling the truth about what you feel or what you see,...

My father was very intense, passionate and over-the-top. He was my hero and my tyrant.

My father was very intense, passionate and over-the-top. He was my hero and my tyrant.

That attitude that fighting is probably not fair, but you have to defend yourself anyway...

That attitude that fighting is probably not fair, but you have to defend yourself anyway...

To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself....

To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself....

The first function of poetry is to tell the truth, to learn how to do...

The first function of poetry is to tell the truth, to learn how to do...

But, based on my friendship with Evie as young mothers, I started going on freedom...

But, based on my friendship with Evie as young mothers, I started going on freedom...

It means to educate myself incessantly about the world around me.

It means to educate myself incessantly about the world around me.

CORE was committed to nonviolence, but I was not.

CORE was committed to nonviolence, but I was not.

Bisexuality means I am free and I am as likely to want to love a...

Bisexuality means I am free and I am as likely to want to love a...

Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth.

Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth.

Consequently, most of us really exist at the mercy of other people's formulations of what's...

Consequently, most of us really exist at the mercy of other people's formulations of what's...

We do not deride the fears of prospering white America. A nation of violence and...

We do not deride the fears of prospering white America. A nation of violence and...

I think I have come to a place where I'm able to feel more comfortable...

I think I have come to a place where I'm able to feel more comfortable...