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Amanda Gorman's Quotes in TIME's February 2021 Issue

Amanda Gorman Is Here to Stay: "I Am Not Lightning That Strikes Once"

Amanda Gorman's Quotes in TIME's February 2021 Issue
Image Source: Awol Erizku for TIME

While Amanda Gorman captivated the world with her poem "The Hill We Climb" on Inauguration Day in the United States, she's still learning how to deal with the pressure that comes from being in the spotlight. In a conversation with Michelle Obama for TIME's February cover, the 22-year-old poet discussed everything from the current renaissance in Black art, to the advice she has for young Black girls that find their way into the spotlight, to being considered a prodigy. "It's easy when you see someone who's young have this type of astronomical life change to think that it's instantaneous," Amanda replied. "In everything that you write, write something that is larger than yourself." You can read some of her best quotes from the cover story below.

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