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/
Enough
Andrea Gibson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I woke up this morning in a pile of leaves
The colour of a million different faces
Thinking of that hand that planted the seed
Of the family tree that grew us all
And how each one of us
Will one day fall back to the ground
I was listening to my heart pound
Knowing with every single beat
That a thousand other hearts were falling asleep forever
On a day they never thought they would
And I know there are tribes of aborigines
That decide how and when they'll die
After a hundred years or so
They walk into the desert alone
Offer up their breath
And within two minutes soar into a death
As beautiful as their life
And I was thinking I
Will probably never be enlightened enough to decide how I want to die
So this morning
I decided how I want to live
What I want to give
What kind of song I want to sing
Now I'm no longer
Looking at my days like they're a cup
Calling them half empty or half full
When they've always been enough
They'll always be enough
To fill me up
If I stop thinking so much
And start drinking them up
Until I get so drunk and high on my days
I'll be walking up to strangers and saying things like
"Hey, I know Jesus was born in a manger
But I woke at dawn today
To watch the earth's horizon
Give birth to true rising sun of God
And I can't stop singing hallelujah"
Can you believe we're here?
Can you believe there are gods somewhere praying to us?
I want to be that nut on a bus
Who's really a prophet
Telling everybody
"Smoking is bad
Stop it
You might be an opera singer some day
And how are you gonna hit the high notes?"
I wanna live like those high notes
That rise from the throats of old ladies
When they see little babies
Riding in shopping carts
I wanna start somebody's heart like that
Taking ninety years back
So you'll have sworn
You weren't born
Until you saw me
Planting roses
In all the sidewalk cracks
So when you trip
You'll fall in love
With someone you thought you hated
And now look at what that love has created
Look
There's a sky
On her faded blue jeans
With a flock of birds
About to fly to my words
And my next line's
Gonna rhyme with her eyes
And she'll wink
And I'll think I'm as beautiful as him
I wanna live my life
Like it's a little league game
I don't care if I win
Just wanna watch some little girl
Get her very first hit
Watch her father cheer so hard
He spills his beer
And decides to quit
I wanna split some woman's
Tired eyes open
Wake her with her own sunrise
So she knows
There's reason to be hoping
She'll say
"There are stingers in my heart
But I'm sure that I'm a queen"
And that night
She'll vow to swarm
Until every angry car horn
Is reborn a song
Of let there be light
Every angry war cry reborn
A song of let there be life
I wanna build the timid teenage boy
A microphone that will
Echo his rhymes
The same way
They echo in his shower
When he's home alone
I wanna write poems
In the tone
Of your mother's eyes
When she whispered your name
For the very first time
Poems that will make you go home
Pick up the phone
And call her
While I call mine to say
"You know those lines
On the kitchen wall
Where I grew
Taller and taller and taller
Put a couple more there won't you?
Cause I'm growing up here"
No longer looking at my days
Like they're a cup
Calling them enough
From now on
They'll be overflowing
Since now I'm knowing
It's up to me
To fill them up
Andrea Gibson’s song Enough is a song about living life to the fullest and embracing every moment because we never know when our time will come. The first verse talks about a tree painted on the wall which symbolizes the family tree and how each of us will fall back to the ground like leaves one day. The second verse touches on the subject of death and how some aboriginal tribes decide when and how they will die. The singer contemplates their own mortality and admits they will probably never be enlightened enough to decide how they want to die. Instead, they focus on how they want to live and what kind of song they want to sing. They realize that their days have always been enough to fill them up if they stop thinking about them so much and start enjoying them.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I painted a purple tree on my bedroom wall
I express my creativity by painting a purple tree on my bedroom wall.
I woke up this morning in a pile of leaves
I was born in this world and will eventually die and return to the Earth.
The colour of a million different faces
The leaves represent the different people and faces in the world.
Thinking of that hand that planted the seed
I am grateful for the person indirectly responsible for creating me.
Of the family tree that grew us all
The person responsible for planting the seed is the ancestor that links us all together.
And how each one of us
Each person has their own life journey to complete.
Will one day fall back to the ground
All of us must eventually return to the Earth.
This morning
The present moment.
I was listening to my heart pound
I was contemplating my mortality.
Knowing with every single beat
Each beat of my heart brings me closer to the end of my life.
That a thousand other hearts were falling asleep forever
At any given moment, people are dying.
On a day they never thought they would
You never know when your last day will be.
And I know there are tribes of aborigines
I am aware of other cultures and their beliefs.
That decide how and when they'll die
Some cultures have the ability to choose their own death.
After a hundred years or so
After living a full life.
They walk into the desert alone
They leave civilization behind.
Offer up their breath
They choose to die.
And within two minutes soar into a death
Their death is quick and peaceful.
As beautiful as their life
Their death is just as important and beautiful as their life.
And I was thinking I
I am questioning my own beliefs and life choices.
Will probably never be enlightened enough to decide how I want to die
I probably won't have the power to choose my own death.
So this morning
In the present moment.
I decided how I want to live
I choose to focus on how I want to live my life.
What I want to give
I want to contribute to the world.
What kind of song I want to sing
I want to express myself through art.
Now I'm no longer
I have changed my perspective.
Looking at my days like they're a cup
I used to think my days were only half full or half empty.
Calling them half empty or half full
I didn't see them as being fully satisfying.
When they've always been enough
My days are really all I need.
They'll always be enough
My days will always be enough to fill me up.
To fill me up
To satisfy me.
If I stop thinking so much
If I live in the present moment.
And start drinking them up
If I appreciate and enjoy life.
Until I get so drunk and high on my days
Until I become overwhelmed with happiness.
I'll be walking up to strangers and saying things like
I'll be filled with joy.
Hey, I know Jesus was born in a manger
I'll be expressing random thoughts.
But I woke at dawn today
I experienced a beautiful moment this morning.
To watch the earth's horizon
I was captivated by the beauty of the world.
Give birth to true rising sun of God
I was inspired by the beauty of the sunrise.
And I can't stop singing hallelujah
My joy is overflowing and expressed through song.
Can you believe we're here?
We are blessed to exist.
Can you believe there are gods somewhere praying to us?
We are blessed and important enough to be prayed to.
I want to be that nut on a bus
I want to be a unique voice in the world.
Who's really a prophet
Someone who spreads a message.
Telling everybody
Sharing the truth with everyone.
Smoking is bad
Sharing a simple truth.
Stop it
Encouraging people to stop smoking.
You might be an opera singer some day
Encouraging someone to follow their dreams.
And how are you gonna hit the high notes?
Asking someone how they'll achieve their dreams.
I wanna live like those high notes
I want to live a passionate and expressive life.
That rise from the throats of old ladies
The beautiful sound of music.
When they see little babies
When they see something beautiful.
Riding in shopping carts
A mundane place with beautiful moments.
I wanna start somebody's heart like that
I want to create happiness for others.
Taking ninety years back
Creating a beautiful memory.
So you'll have sworn
You'll feel like a different person.
You weren't born
You'll feel born again.
Until you saw me
Until you experienced this beautiful moment.
Planting roses
Creating something beautiful in the world.
In all the sidewalk cracks
Finding beauty in unexpected places.
So when you trip
When you experience a difficult time.
You'll fall in love
You'll see beauty in the world.
With someone you thought you hated
You'll see the good in people.
And now look at what that love has created
Love can create beautiful things in the world.
Look
Pay attention.
There's a sky
The beauty of the world is everywhere.
On her faded blue jeans
Unexpected beauty in the world.
With a flock of birds
The beauty of nature is everywhere.
About to fly to my words
The beauty of my words.
And my next line's
My next thought.
Gonna rhyme with her eyes
Creating beauty with words.
And she'll wink
Her beauty will be expressed in a simple gesture.
And I'll think I'm as beautiful as him
The beauty of the world is within me.
I wanna live my life
I want to fill my life with beauty and love.
Like it's a little league game
Life should be full of joy and fun.
I don't care if I win
Winning is not important.
Just wanna watch some little girl
Find joy in the simple things in life.
Get her very first hit
Achieving a small victory in life.
Watch her father cheer so hard
Sharing a moment with loved ones.
He spills his beer
Sharing a moment of pure joy.
And decides to quit
Retiring from the game of life.
I wanna split some woman's
Sharing a moment of beauty with someone.
Tired eyes open
Creating a moment of beauty and renewal.
Wake her with her own sunrise
Showing someone the beauty of the world.
So she knows
I want to help people see the good in life.
There's reason to be hoping
Finding hope in the world.
She'll say
She'll express herself.
There are stingers in my heart
Life can be difficult and hurtful.
But I'm sure that I'm a queen
Finding confidence and beauty within herself.
And that night
At night, when it's darkest.
She'll vow to swarm
She'll decide to spread love.
Until every angry car horn
Making the world a more peaceful place.
Is reborn a song
Finding beauty in unexpected sounds.
Of let there be light
Bringing happiness and illumination to the world.
Every angry war cry reborn
Turning negativity into positivity.
A song of let there be life
Spreading joy and positivity.
I wanna build the timid teenage boy
Empowering people to overcome their insecurities.
A microphone that will
Giving someone a platform and a voice.
Echo his rhymes
Finding beauty in his words.
The same way
In the same manner.
They echo in his shower
His words have beauty and power.
When he's home alone
The beauty of his words and music is a private joy.
I wanna write poems
Creating beauty through art.
In the tone
In a way that is relatable and moving.
Of your mother's eyes
The beauty of human connection and emotion.
When she whispered your name
The beauty of love and motherhood.
For the very first time
A beautiful and emotional moment in life.
Poems that will make you go home
Art that inspires and moves you.
Pick up the phone
Contacting loved ones to express your love.
And call her
Calling your loved ones.
While I call mine to say
Sharing the beauty of life with others.
You know those lines
The marks on a wall that show how we've grown.
On the kitchen wall
A place of love and family.
Where I grew
Growing into the person I am today.
Taller and taller and taller
Growing in body and spirit.
Put a couple more there won't you?
Continuing to grow and experience life.
Cause I'm growing up here
The beauty and love of life is found in our growth.
No longer looking at my days
Changing my perspective.
Like they're a cup
Seeing life as incomplete or inadequate.
Calling them enough
Seeing the beauty and love in life.
From now on
In the present moment.
They'll be overflowing
My life will be filled with beauty and love.
Since now I'm knowing
I now understand the beauty of life.
It's up to me
I have the power.
To fill them up
To fill my life with beauty and love.
Writer(s): Andrew Gibson, Josh Osbourne, Kevin Savigar
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
RainyDayzandFunDayz
Wow, this is so powerful and amazing. My friend just recommended Andrea to me, and I am in love. Awesome!
TheWhitakerCJ
God i love her! She has such power when she speaks! She knows how to use her words and voice to make you sit down and listen to what she is saying. Such as For Eli even if you disagree with it you still find yourself listening to her! I just love her!
Annie
this is so beautiful and cheerfull idk why but this poem makes me so happy, makes me to realise that those little things in life shall be enough and they are because they may be small and pointless for others but for us they mean maybe more than thousand years of life
LivexLongxProsper
how can someone so perfect exist?
zepployd
So real
Renz Marie R. Nollase
anyone know what the song is? planning to perform this as a school project. would really appreciate it. :)
QueeriesByJesse
Hey! Just so you know, Andrea Gibson uses they/them/theirs pronouns, not she/her/hers.
brattette
How does she do it? How?
Nick H
I abused the replay button.
micheal john
so I guess your 17 now