“Don't assume, ask. Be kind. Tell the truth. Don't say anything you can't stand behind fully. Have integrity. Tell people how you feel.” PeopleFeelsKindAsksBehindsIntegrityAssumingTelling The TruthBe KindSay AnythingHow You FeelShire Author:Warsan Shire
“Sad people have the gift of time, while the world dizzies everyone else; they remain stagnant, their bodies refusing to follow pace with the universe. With these kind of people everything aches for too long, everything moves without rush, wounds are always wet.” PeopleWorldKindLongBodyMovingTimeUniverseSadWoundsPaceWetAcheStagnantUnhappy PeopleMiserable PeopleGift Of Time Author:Warsan Shire
“I know a few things to be true. I do not know where I am going, where I have come from is disappearing, I am unwelcome and my beauty is not beauty here. My body is burning with the shame of not belonging, my body is longing.” KnowsBodyShameLongingDisappearBeing TrueBurningBelongingUnwelcomeNot Belonging Author:Warsan Shire
“Apathy is the same as war, it all kills you, she says. Slow like cancer in the breast or fast like a machete in the neck.” WarCancerNecksBreastsApathyMachetes Author:Warsan Shire
“I tore up and ate my own passport in an airport hotel once. I'm bloated with language I can’t afford to forget.” I CanLanguageMy OwnForgetHotelAirportsPassports Author:Warsan Shire
“There is no intimacy like that between two women who have chosen to be sisters.” TwoChosenIntimacy Author:Warsan Shire
“Give your daughters difficult names. Give your daughters names that command the full use of the tongue. My name makes you want to tell me the truth. My name doesn't allow me to trust anyone that cannot pronounce it right.” WantGivingUseNamesDifficultDaughterTongueCommandOur DaughterYour DaughterShireTell Me The Truth Author:Warsan Shire
“Perhaps, the problem is not the intensity of your love, but the quality of the people you are loving.” PeopleProblemQualityIntensityShire Author:Warsan Shire
“Light attracts light. But sometimes your light attracts moths and your warmth attracts parasites. Protect your space and energy” SometimesLightEnergySpaceProtectLaw Of AttractionWarmthNegativityParasitesMothsShirePersonal Space Author:Warsan Shire
“Why do you live in your body like you will be given another? As if it were temporary. You starve it, you let anyone touch it, you berate it. Tell it that it should be completely different. You tug at your soft flesh, wish it thinner, wish it gone. You fall in love with those who praise the way it sighs under their hands, but who praises the way it holds up your weight, even when you are falling apart?” IfsWayShouldDifferentBodyHandsFallGivenWishGoneLike YouWeightPraiseFalling In LoveFleshYour BodyTemporarySighFalling Apart Author:Warsan Shire
“The sun is perfect and you woke this morning. You have enough language in your mouth to be understood. You have a name, and someone wants to call it. Five fingers on your hand and someone wants to hold it. If we just start there, every beautiful thing that has and will ever exist is possible. If we start there, everything, for a moment, is right in the world.” IfsWorldWantEnoughMomentsHandsBeautifulNamesLanguagePerfectMorningSunFiveMouthsUnderstoodFingersBeautiful ThingsVery BeautifulFive Fingers Author:Warsan Shire
“My heart is a flower blossoming out of my mouth.” HeartFlowerMy HeartMouthsBlossoming Author:Warsan Shire
“Mother says there are locked rooms inside all women, kitchen of love, bedroom of grief, bathroom of apathy. Sometimes, the men, they come with keys, and sometimes the men, they come with hammers.” MenSometimesMotherLove IsRoomsGriefHe ManKeysKitchenApathyLockedBedroomBathroomHammers Author:Warsan Shire
“Make love like you have no secrets like you've never been left never been hurt like the world don't owe you a single wretched thing.” WorldLeftHurtSecretLike YouMaking LoveWretchedBeen Hurt Author:Warsan Shire
“Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself - what you're wearing, who you're around, what you're doing. Recreate and repeat.” FeelsMomentsLove YouRepeatsDocumentsRecreate Yourself Author:Warsan Shire
“Make peace with your body, it's not manmade, there are no flaws, there are no mistakes.” BodyMistakeYour BodyFlawsMaking Peace Author:Warsan Shire
“Every mouth you’ve ever kissed was just practice. All the bodies you’ve ever undressed and ploughed in to were preparing you for me. I don’t mind tasting them in the memory of your mouth. Was it a long journey? Did it take you long to find me? You’re here now, welcome home.” MindLongHomeBodyMemoriesPracticeJourneyMouthsWelcomeComing HomePreparingFind MeTastingLong JourneyWelcome Home Author:Warsan Shire
“With you, intimacy colors my voice. Even 'hello' sounds like 'come here'.” SoundVoiceColorIntimacyHelloShire Author:Warsan Shire
