Quotes from Maya Angelou

When I cook for my family on Christmas, I make feijoada, a South American dish of roasted and smoked meats like ham, pork, beef, lamb, and bacon - all served with black beans and rice. It's festive but different.

I find in my poetry and prose the rhythms and imagery of the best - I mean, when I'm at my best - of the good Southern black preachers. The lyricism of the spirituals and the directness of gospel songs and the mystery of blues are in my music or in my poetry and prose, or I missed everything.

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.

This is what I am learning, at 82 years old: the main thing is to be in love with the search for truth.

I like to speak on matters which matter to human beings, and almost everything matters to human beings.

I speak a number of languages, but none are more beautiful to me than English.

I refuse to allow any man-made differences to separate me from any other human beings.

If you're a human being, you can attempt to do what other human beings have done. We don't understand talent any more than we understand electricity.

If you're serious, you really understand that it's important that you laugh as much as possible and admit that you're the funniest person you ever met. You have to laugh. Admit that you're funny. Otherwise, you die in solemnity.

We have to confront ourselves. Do we like what we see in the mirror? And, according to our light, according to our understanding, according to our courage, we will have to say yea or nay - and rise!

Your crown has been bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.