All of us have moments in our childhood where we come alive for the first time. And we go back to those moments and think, This is when I became myself. Rita Dove alivebackchildhood Change image and share on social
To write for PC reasons, because you think you ought to be dealing with this subject, is never going to yield anything that is really going to matter to anyone else. It has to matter to you. Rita Dove dealmatterreason Change image and share on social
I grew up in Ohio, where civil-rights accomplishments had already begun to accelerate before Martin Luther King appeared. In hindsight, we know that many people, black and white, were instrumental in changing the Jim Crow status quo on all levels. Rita Dove accelerateaccomplishmentappear share on social
There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints. Rita Dove complaincomplaintlife Change image and share on social
I always loved science. And in fact, I got a science award in high school. I mean, I loved science, but I think I loved literature more. Rita Dove awardfacthigh Change image and share on social
For many years, I thought a poem was a whisper overheard, not an aria heard. Rita Dove ariahearoverhear Change image and share on social
I loved to write when I was a child. I wrote, but I always thought it was something that you did as a child, then you put away childish things. Rita Dove childchildishlove Change image and share on social
The American Dream is a phrase we'll have to wrestle with all of our lives. It means a lot of things to different people. I think we're redefining it now. Rita Dove americandreamlive Change image and share on social
To practice your scales, so to speak, in order play the symphony, is what you have to do as a young poet. Rita Dove orderplaypoet Change image and share on social
