Andrea Gibson — Colorado state poet laureate, queer activist and spoken-word artist — dies at 49
Andrea Gibson — Colorado state poet laureate, queer activist and spoken-word artist — dies at 49
In the end, Andrea Gibson’s heart was covered in stretch marks.
That was the way the Colorado state poet laureate, queer activist and internationally touring spoken-word artist said they wanted to leave this Earth — with a life full of love so big and enduring, it couldn’t be contained.
Gibson, 49, died early Monday morning in their Boulder, Colorado, home surrounded by their wife, four ex-girlfriends, their parents, dozens of friends and their three beloved dogs, according to an announcement on their Facebook page. They were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021.
The Facebook post from Gibson’s loved ones said one of the last things they said was, “I (expletive) loved my life.”
Readers and fans of Gibson’s work — poetry books and spoken-word collections — offered an outpouring of love, grief and touching tributes Monday about how the poet’s words found them at just the right time. Some said Gibson’s work saved them, while others said it gave them permission to be their authentic selves.
In 2023, Gibson was named Colorado’s tenth state poet laureate, a role created to promote poetry appreciation in the state and honor local wordsmiths. Gibson said they hoped to bring poetry to the masses.
In an interview with The Denver Post, Gibson said their cancer diagnosis allowed them to tap into how the “brevity of this life” gifted them “awe and joy and astonishment.”
Gibson wrote extensively about death and grief. It becomes difficult to memorialize Gibson without referring back to their own work.
“Not long ago, Andrea wrote a poem titled ‘Love Letter From the Afterlife,’” their loved ones wrote on Facebook. “In it, they offered this line: ‘I am more here than I ever was before. I am more with you than I ever could have imagined.’ Today, and all days forward, we hope you feel Andrea’s enormous spirit and immense presence beside you.”
This is a developing story that will be updated.
With Beyoncé's Grammy Wins, Black Women in Country Are Finally Getting Their Due
February 17, 2025
Comments 0