Over the break I discovered the work of the poet Andrea Gibson (they,their). Andrea writes of heartache, of anger, of loneliness, of depression, of love, of beauty and of so much more. Their latest book of poems is called “You Better Be Lightning” and I will share in the link below one of my favorites from that collection.
It’s a poem that speaks to the moment we are in right now. One that feels fraught, fatigued and frustrating. The pandemic is still with us, social divisions are growing faster than we can understand, deep loss remains a constant and our spirits are longing for something that can carry us through. We are hungry for joy. We do not need to experience it in grand or large ways. In fact, it would be much better if we found joy in the smaller corners of our lives, corners we can return to and can access whenever we need a boost. Andrea’s work reminds us to simply look; to look hard at what is right before our eyes but not capturing as much attention as the things that are weighing so heavy on us. Andrea is teasing us back to a time when we felt goosebumps of joy, like children, when something truly warmed us from within. I used to get goosebumps when my mom would set a bowl of chocolate pudding on the table after dinner. It did not happen very often, but when it did, wow, goosebumps.
Andrea Gibson’s poem is called “Acceptance Speech After Setting The World Record In Goosebumps.” It might be just what you need to start off this new semester and new year. I encourage you to watch the entire video as Andrea recites their own work. I promise, it will not only give you goosebumps, it will send you looking for more.