Quotations

"The religion of the short poem, in every age and in every literature, has a single commandment: Less is always more. The short poem rejects preamble and summary. It's about all and everything, the metaphysics of a few words surrounded by much silence. The short poem is a match flaring up in a dark universe."

— Charles Simic, Serbian-American poet, born 1938

"We name one thing and then another. That’s how time enters poetry. Space, on the other hand, comes into being through the attention we pay to each word. The more intense our attention, the more space, and there’s a lot of space inside words."

— Charles Simic, Serbian-American poet, born 1938

"If you break up with your partner, go straight to the studio. You're going to make great music."

— B.o.B, American rapper, born November 15, 1988

"Every actress has to face the facts there are younger, more beautiful girls right behind you. Once you've gone beyond the vanity of the business, you'll take on the tough roles."

— Jean Simmons, English-American actress, born January 31, 1929

"I was constantly being dragged out of movies for laughing too loud."

— Neil Simon, American playwright, born July 4, 1927

"I was eating in a Chinese restaurant downtown. There was a dish called Mother and Child Reunion. It's chicken and eggs. And I said, I gotta use that one."

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"These are the days of miracle and wonder."

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"Hello darkness my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again."

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"I have my books and my poetry to protect me."

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"Then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right, there must be fifty ways to leave your lover."

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"When I first heard Elvis perform Bridge Over Trouble Water, it was unbelievable, and I thought to myself, how the hell can I compete with that?"

— Paul Simon, American singer, born 1941

"Sometimes I sound like gravel, and sometimes I sound like coffee and cream."

— Nina Simone, American singer, born 1933

"This may be a dream, but I'll say it anyway: I was supposed to be married last year, and I bought a gown. When I meet Nelson Mandela, I shall put on this gown and have the train of it removed and put aside, and kiss the ground that he walks on and then kiss his feet."

— Nina Simone, American singer, born 1933

"Slavery has never been abolished from America's way of thinking."

— Nina Simone, American singer, born 1933