Ordinary Hazards Quotes

“Trauma is a memory hog,
It gobbles up all available space
in the brain,
leaves little room to mark
daily happenstances,
or even routine injuries
which are less than
life-threatening.”
― Nikki Grimes, Ordinary Hazards

“I didn't have much in the world, but my fears were my own.”
― Nikki Grimes, Ordinary Hazards

“MY BLACK ME

My father fed me
Invisible Man,
Native Son,
No Longer at Ease,
Black Man's Burden,
and the more I read,
the madder I got,
and I already
had reason
to scream,
but my father
kept me dreaming
of what words
I might bring
to the world.”
― Nikki Grimes, Ordinary Hazards

“this writing thing
was some kind of magic trick
I didn't yet understand,
except for this:
Magicians rarely share
their secrets.”
― Nikki Grimes, Ordinary Hazards