Adrienne Rich

sit weep warrior

“There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep and still be counted as warriors.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

lying words silence dishonesty

“Lying is done with words, and also with silence.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

responsibility self refuse thinking talking naming brain

“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

transform brutal society dignity powerless

“If you are trying to transform a brutalized society into one where people can live in dignity and hope, you begin with the empowering of the most powerless. You build from the ground up.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

poem dream know

“Poems are like dreams: in them you put what you don't know you know.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

language naming power silence oppression violence

“In a world where language and naming are power, silence is oppression, is violence.”

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

change threat life invitation live

"Change is not a threat to your life, but an invitation to live."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

courage fight fall rise

"Courage is not defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell and rose again."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

language power change reality

"Language is power... Language can be used as a means of changing reality."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

assumption know self

"Until we know the assumptions in which we are drenched, we cannot know ourselves."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

short-term pessimism long-term optimism

"It is important to possess a short-term pessimism and a long-term optimism."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)

learning chaos

"All new learning looks at first like chaos."

— Adrienne Rich (1929-2012)