Colorado's poet laureate Andrea Gibson dies at 49, leaves ‘Love Letter from the Afterlife'

Indian Express

5 days ago

Andrea Gibson, award-winning poet, activist, and Colorado's Poet Laureate, died on July 14, 2025, at the age of 49. They passed peacefully at home in Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by their wife Meg, family, close friends, and their three beloved dogs.
In the months leading up to their death, Gibson, who was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in 2021, had been writing about mortality, joy, and the intimacy of impermanence.
'Since learning they had cancer in 2021, Andrea has been a champion of finding beauty in unlikely places and gratitude in the hardest hours. Over the last four years, they danced with their diagnosis, and continually aimed their internal compass toward joy,' their wife Meg wrote on Facebook.
But perhaps no piece encapsulates their spirit more than the piece they published on their Substack in December 2023, titled 'Love Letter from the Afterlife.'
Written during the holiday season for those grappling with loss, the poem has become, since the announcement of Gibson's death, a spiritual farewell to readers, listeners, and loved ones alike. 'Dying is the opposite of leaving,' the piece begins, reimagining death not as absence, but as presence magnified.
Originally inspired by a message from their late grandmother, who told Gibson, 'I am more here than I ever was before,' the poem carries the voice of someone who has passed but remains deeply intertwined with the lives of those they love. 'Ask me the altitude of heaven, and I will answer, 'How tall are you?''
With lines that speak of forgiveness, enduring affection, and grief transformed into grace, the piece has resonated deeply with readers around the world. 'I want to echo it through the corridor of your temples, I am more with you than I ever was before,' they write.
Gibson describes death as a kind of reincarnation in the hearts of the living. 'I know it's hard to believe, but I promise it's the truth. I promise one day you will say it too— I can't believe I ever thought I could lose you.'
Andrea Gibson was one of the most influential spoken word poets of their generation. Born in Calais, Maine, in 1975, they rose to national recognition through their raw, emotionally vulnerable performances and writing that tackled gender identity, queerness, mental health, love, and mortality.
In 2023, Gibson was named Poet Laureate of Colorado, where they had lived since the late 1990s. They authored seven poetry collections, including You Better Be Lightning and Lord of the Butterflies, and toured internationally to packed audiences.
They were also the subject of the award-winning documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which follows Gibson and their wife Meg as they navigate love, art, and terminal illness. The film premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim and is set to air on Apple TV+ later this year.
Gibson had a rare ability to connect deeply with people across backgrounds and identities. Their poetry helped LGBTQ+ youth, gave voice to those navigating grief, and offered comfort to the terminally ill. In the final years of their life, they became a beacon for how to live with joy even in the shadow of death.
Their final Facebook post, which was put up by their wife after Gibson passed away, reads: 'Whenever I leave this world, whether it's sixty years from now, I wouldn't want anyone to say I lost some battle. I'll be a winner that day.'
On July 14, at 4:16 am, Andrea Gibson was a winner.
Though they deeply wished for more time, those close to Gibson say they found peace and presence in their final days. They lived fully until the end, writing, laughing, creating, and surrounding themselves with chosen family.
In their final letter to the world, Andrea Gibson assures us that love, once given, never leaves. The poem now stands as both a farewell and a promise: that the people we lose remain with us, folded into every breath, every sunrise, every poem.