Let my life as Poet begin. I want the life of the Poet. I have labored for over twelve years, one thousand pages of prose. Now, I want the easiness of poetry. The brevity of the poem. – Maxine Hong Kingston
I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for contradictions. – Maxine Hong Kingston
When I’m teaching, I tell my students: It’s all process. Don’t even think of product. – Maxine Hong Kingston
I have found things that I could have done better in ‘The Woman Warrior.’ But then I thought: Let the work of one’s youth just stand. – Maxine Hong Kingston
When I am composing, I try to clear my mind of having to publish, or having to sell a book or find readers. That kind of thinking gets in the way. – Maxine Hong Kingston
I’m so proud that my offspring became a musician. I’m full of awe that we are able to have a whole family live the life of artists. – Maxine Hong Kingston
I’ve been writing since I was 7, but before that, I was orally making stories. – Maxine Hong Kingston
To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world – that I am able to change it in positive ways. – Maxine Hong Kingston
Hunger also changes the world – when eating can’t be a habit, then neither can seeing. – Maxine Hong Kingston
The difference between mad people and sane people… is that sane people have variety when they talk-story. Mad people have only one story that they talk over and over. – Maxine Hong Kingston
The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods. – Maxine Hong Kingston
There can’t be a pure myth, especially when the myth has been handed down in the oral tradition. As the stories are told, they change. If the stories don’t change they just die. – Maxine Hong Kingston
It seems that writing chose me. I feel that because I know history, and I know the history of so many cultures; I have lived a large life. – Maxine Hong Kingston
