There was a poet who died young

because her cells did a crazy dance 

and shut her body down.

But oh how her spirit soared when she was in physical form!

She wrote poetry that flew with the angels.

She called herself "they" because she never really felt like a woman,

but still, she felt clearly she was not a man.

"They" felt good.

How cool is that, an old word with a new meaning.

Words are fun, they grow and change and create beautiful expansions in our minds.

I read her poetry for the first time after she had already died. 

My sister introduced me to her writing.

I noticed that in multiple writings she encouraged us to look at life through a soft lens.

Her reference to softness touched my heart.

Oh yes there is a time for putting on our boots and kicking down doors of exclusion,

but when all is said and done...

softly topples walls

so sweetly,

with so much love,

with no judgment,

creating a picture in my mind...

all the beings across the lands

join together,

in peace.

Nirvana.

Thanks Andrea (the poet). 

 

"Whoever you are, and whatever helps, I hope today is a day you are finding the softest way through."

– Andrea Gibson, 6th September 2016

 

I know most people try hard

to do good and find out too late

they should have tried softer.

– Andrea Gibson, You Better Be Lightning

"I had a solid idea of what I would lose if I came out and I knew it would be excruciating, but not more excruciating than losing myself. So after a long time of mastering how to leave the pronouns out of all my love poems--I finally started telling people about the softness of my love's face." (Andrea Gibson, 2017)