84 Quotes by Warsan Shire

I hope I’ll always believe in love. Even if love shames me and tries to destroy me, I hope I’ll want to start again.

I belong deeply to myself.

It’s not my responsibility to be beautiful. I’m not alive for that purpose. My existence is not about how desirable you find me.

I’ve heard people using your songs as prayer, begging god in falsetto.

You are terrifying, and strange, and beautiful. Something not everyone knows how to love.

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.

Not everyone is okay with living like an open wound. But the thing about open wounds is that, well, you aren’t ignoring it. You’re healing; the fresh air can get to it. It’s honest. You aren’t hiding who you are. You aren’t rotting. People can give you advice on how to heal without scarring badly. But on the other hand there are some people who’ll feel uncomfortable around you. Some will even point and laugh. But we all have wounds.

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.

Your grandparents often found themselves in dark rooms, mapping out each other’s bodies, claiming whole countries with their mouths.