Andrea has headlined everywhere from the Nuyorican Poet's Café, to Pride Fests and Lady Fests, to high schools and universities throughout the country. They have been showcased on Free Speech TV, Dyke TV, the documentary Slam Planet, and Independent Radio Stations nationwide. They are featured on New York City's 2004 Best of Urbana CD, and are currently a member of the prestigious Bullhorn Collective "comprised of 30 of the highest ranking slam poets and most accomplished performance poets in the world." They have shared the stage with such names as Leslie Feinberg, Amy Goodman, Dennis Kucinich and KRS1.
Andrea's poetry deconstructs the foundations of the current political machine, highlighting issues such as patriarchy, gender norms, white-supremacy, and capitalist culture. Their words are honest, humble and "oh my god, I can't believe you said that in public!" (ex-girlfriend #4).
Andrea is an independent artist who has self-released four CDs, Bullets and Windchimes (2003), Swarm (2004), When The Bough Breaks (2006), and Yellowbird (2009).
They have also self published three books, Trees That Grow in Cemeteries, Yellow Bird, and What the Yarn Knows of Sweaters.
Write Bloody Publishing published their nationally distributed collection of poems in 2008, Pole Dancing To Gospel Hymns.
Andrea uses they/them pronouns.
from: http://www.andreagibson.org/
Dive
Andrea Gibson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and the second time's a lie
I love you
I love you
See what I mean I don't
and I do
and I'm not talking about some girl I may be kissing on
I'm talking about this world I'm blissing on and hating at the exact same time
See life doesn't rhyme
It's bullets and windchimes
It's lynchings and birthday parties
It's the rope that ties the noose and the rope that hangs the backyard swing
It's the boy about to take his life
and with a knife to his wrist he's thinking of only two things
His father's fist
and his mother kiss
and he can't stop crying
It's wanting tonight to speak the most honest poem I've ever spoken in my life
Not knowing if that poem should bring you closer to living or dying
Drowning or flying
Cause life doen't rhyme
Last night I prayed myslef to sleep
woke this morning to find God's obituary scrolled in tears on my sheets
Then walked outside to hear my neighbor erasing ten thousand years of hard labor
With a single note of his violin
and the sound of the traffic rang like a hymn
as the holiest leaf of autumn fell from a plastic tree limb
Beautiful- and ugly
Like right now
I'm needing nothing more then for you to hug me
and if you do I'm going to scream like a caged bird
See life doen't rhyme
Sometimes love is a vulgar word
Sometimes hate calles itself peace on the nightly news
I heard saints preaching trues that would've burned me at the stake
I've heard poets teling lies that made me delieve in Heaven
Sometimes I imagine Hitler at seven years old
A paintbrush in his hand at school
Thinking what color should I paint my soul
Sometimes I remember myself with track marks on my tounge
From shooting up convictions that would've hung innocent men from trees
Have you ever seen a mother falling to her knees
The day her son dies in a war she voted for
Can you imagine how many gay teenage lives were saved
The day Matthew Shepard died
Could there have been anything louder
Then the noise inside his father's head
When he begged the jury
Please don't take the lives of the men who turned my son's skull to powder
And I know nothing would make my family prouder
Then given up everything I believe in
Still nothing keeps me believing like the sound of my mother breathing
Life doen't rhyme
It's tasting a rapist's breath on the neck of a woman who loves you more than anyone as loved you before
Then feeling holy a Jesus
Beneath the hands of a one night stand who's calling somebody elses name
It's you never feeling more greedy
Than when you're handing out dollars to the needy
It's my not eating meat for the last seven years
And seeing the kindest eyes I've ever seen in my life from the face of a man with a branding iorn in his hand
A beat down baby calf whailing at his feet
It's you coking on your beliefs
It's your worst sin saving your fucking life
It's the devil's kinfe carving holes in your soul so Angels will have a place to make their way inside
Life doesn't rhyme
Still life is poetry not math
All the Worlds a stage
But the stage is a medditation match
You tilt your head back
You breathe
When your heart is broken you plant seeds in the cracks and you pray for rain
You teach your sons and daughters there a sharks in the water
but the only way to survive is to breathe deep and dive
Andrea Gibson's song "Dive" is a poignant reflection on the contradictions of life. The lyrics are full of paradoxes and oxymorons that reflect the unpredictability and complexity of existence. The singer repeats the refrain "I love you" several times, but then admits that the second time is a lie. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which explores the dual nature of things. The singer talks about the world that they both love and hate at the same time. They mention that life doesn't rhyme, that it's full of bullets and windchimes, lynchings and birthday parties, ropes that tie nooses and ropes that hang swings. The singer then describes a boy who is about to take his life, and how he is thinking of his father's fist and his mother's kiss. The contradictions continue throughout the rest of the song, with the singer discussing their experiences with love and hate, poetry and lies, Hitler and track marks, and other seemingly unrelated topics.
Through all these opposing ideas and images, the message of the song becomes clear: life is complicated and full of contradictions. It doesn't make sense, it doesn't follow a pattern, and it doesn't rhyme. But there is something beautiful about that chaos. The song suggests that even in the midst of all this confusion and suffering, there is still hope. The final lines encourage the listener to breathe and to plant seeds in the cracks of their broken hearts, to teach their children to be brave and dive into the water even when there are sharks. The message is one of resilience and perseverance, of finding beauty in the messiness of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I often repeat myself
I tend to say the same things again and again
and the second time's a lie
The repetition could be deceiving
I love you
Expressing affection
I love you
Repeating the sentiment
See what I mean I don't
Trying to convey a message but not being able to articulate it well
and I do
Despite confusion, being certain of love
and I'm not talking about some girl I may be kissing on
Not referring to a romantic partner
I'm talking about this world I'm blissing on and hating at the exact same time
Talking about the world, which brings joy and frustration simultaneously
See life doesn't rhyme
Life is not predictable or consistent
It's bullets and windchimes
Life is a mix of beauty and horror
It's lynchings and birthday parties
Life has both cruel and celebratory moments
It's the rope that ties the noose and the rope that hangs the backyard swing
The same things could have entirely different meanings and uses
It's the boy about to take his life
Tackling suicide among young people
and with a knife to his wrist he's thinking of only two things
Depicting a moment of agony for the boy
His father's fist
Brutality inflicted on the boy
and his mother kiss
His mother's love for him
and he can't stop crying
The pain is overwhelming
It's wanting tonight to speak the most honest poem I've ever spoken in my life
This moment requires absolute sincerity
Not knowing if that poem should bring you closer to living or dying
Expressing the ambiguity in life and death
Drowning or flying
Continuing the ambiguity, whether to live or die
Cause life doesn't rhyme
The randomness of life
Last night I prayed myself to sleep
Desperate for comfort
woke this morning to find God's obituary scrolled in tears on my sheets
Feeling a loss of faith
Then walked outside to hear my neighbor erasing ten thousand years of hard labor
Witnessing rapid changes to the world
With a single note of his violin
A simple act can have a significant impact
and the sound of the traffic rang like a hymn
Realizing the beauty in the chaotic urban environment
as the holiest leaf of autumn fell from a plastic tree limb
Contrasting between natural and artificial
Beautiful- and ugly
Life is both stunning and unpleasant
Like right now
Referencing the present moment
I'm needing nothing more then for you to hug me
Craving comfort and connection
and if you do I'm going to scream like a caged bird
Expressing pent-up emotions
Sometimes love is a vulgar word
Acknowledging that love is not always pretty or perfect
Sometimes hate calls itself peace on the nightly news
Pointing out the twisted narrative of media
I heard saints preaching trues that would've burned me at the stake
Scornful of religious doctrines
I've heard poets telling lies that made me believe in Heaven
Poets could be fictional and fantastic
Sometimes I imagine Hitler at seven years old
Musing about the monstrous human in early life
A paintbrush in his hand at school
Hitler's hidden talent
Thinking what color should I paint my soul
Reflecting on the innocence of childhood
Sometimes I remember myself with track marks on my tongue
Remembering a dark past with addiction
From shooting up convictions that would've hung innocent men from trees
Describing the senseless violence linked with drug use
Have you ever seen a mother falling to her knees
Depicting grief beyond words
The day her son dies in a war she voted for
The haunting reality of one's decision
Can you imagine how many gay teenage lives were saved
Referring to the impact of Matthew Shepard's death on the LGBTQ community
The day Matthew Shepard died
Continuing the previous reference
Could there have been anything louder
Expressing immense pain
Then the noise inside his father's head
Imagining the mental torture of a parent
When he begged the jury
Painting a scene from a trial
Please don't take the lives of the men who turned my son's skull to powder
Implying the dilemma of passing the death sentence
And I know nothing would make my family prouder
Claiming family pride
Then given up everything I believe in
Commemorating an act of self-sacrifice
Still nothing keeps me believing like the sound of my mother breathing
Finding solace in family
It's tasting a rapist's breath on the neck of a woman who loves you more than anyone has loved you before
Intensely personal and horrific experience
Then feeling holy a Jesus
Contrasting the religious and the traumatic
Beneath the hands of a one night stand who's calling somebody else's name
Shedding light on the casual nature of sex
It's you never feeling more greedy
Feeling selfish while trying to be charitable
Than when you're handing out dollars to the needy
Exploring the complexity of generosity
It's my not eating meat for the last seven years
Sharing an ethical decision
And seeing the kindest eyes I've ever seen in my life from the face of a man with a branding iron in his hand
Witnessing compassion in unexpected places
A beat-down baby calf wailing at his feet
The cruelty behind meat consumption
It's you choking on your beliefs
Struggling with one's convictions
It's your worst sin saving your fucking life
Redemption in the darkest moments
It's the devil's knife carving holes in your soul so Angels will have a place to make their way inside
Marrying good and evil, highlighting the Yin and Yang of life
Still life is poetry not math
Implying that life is unquantifiable
All the world's stage
Echoing Shakespeare
But the stage is a meditation match
Using the metaphor of meditation
You tilt your head back
Visualizing the action
You breathe
Emphasizing the significance of breath
When your heart is broken you plant seeds in the cracks and you pray for rain
Outlining the resilient nature of humans
You teach your sons and daughters there a sharks in the water
Warning children of potential dangers
but the only way to survive is to breathe deep and dive
Encouraging courage and resilience
Contributed by Jack L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mssecretasianninja
Words cannot explain how amazing this is
@davis10557181
Chills down my entire body. She is an amazing woman.
@sixtieschick5
Amazing. Just amazing.
@Rinnstwist
Words other than hers cannot express how i feel
@empathywarrior444
Who disliked this?!?!
@Residualshanty
nice
@gdreamer
You are so gorgeous.
@Katya2U
I absolutely love this poem. But after hearing someone else recite it before I came across this video, I don't like the way Andrea recites it. Sound like a rap. Not much emotions being put in. Wish you could all hear my friend Lucy recite it. It will make you cry