For much of my life – my sister and I have talked about this – when we moved, we just thought the world behind us disappeared, and all of the people, they just didn’t exist any more. – Marilyn Nelson
One of my graduate school professors, to whom I started sending poems when I started writing again after a 10-year hiatus, suggested I prepare a book manuscript which he could send to publishers for me. – Marilyn Nelson
Writing in form is a way of developing your thinking – your thinking along with the tradition. In a way, it’s not you alone, it’s you in partnership. – Marilyn Nelson
Many performance poets seem to believe that yelling a poem makes it comprehensible. They are wrong. – Marilyn Nelson
Back when I was in college, people used to talk about the alienation of the artist, not ever quite fitting in any place. – Marilyn Nelson