Andrea Gibson

But a person whose heart has been changed by poetry will tell you poetry is the key that unlocks a door you never knew was shut.

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Maybe it was the literary equivalent of warm milk, lulling you to sleep.

Poetry is the passport that proves we are, all of us, citizens of the world, and through poetry we can even heal that world.

it’s ugly, how dare you,
you’re not supposed to shine lights in the darkness
you’re not supposed to burn this bright
you’re not supposed to wear your heart so high
you’re not supposed to feel this

Does the poem make you want to write?

(I am not sure what part of the world
taught me and not her
that it is shameful
to be amazed by everything.)

Psychology studies have revealed that being awed can get us out of “monkey mind”—depression and anxiety. Seeing something astounding in nature, or in a documentary, or in a good book, can positively affect our mental health.

WHO CAN BE A POET? (HINT: EVERYONE)

In the Haida tribe, the word for poetry also means “to breathe.” Consider that your very existence is a poem.