If you don't know who Shannon Leigh is, she was a 20 year old slam poet, creole and latin speaker, world traveler, krav maga fighter, 3 time novelist, vocalist, cave diver, comic-strip artist, puppy owner, aura-reader, magic-lover, linguistics student and hip hop artist.  She ranked 3rd in the 2007 National Poetry Slam and appeared on Def Poetry Jam.  She lived in South Africa for a bit. 

You can hear her poems at www.myspace.com/shannonlleigh

More than all of this, Shannon was the kind of person who could get under your skin, in a good way.  She was the girl you could say anything to, and know that nothing would ever be judged, in fact talking to her would make you realize that all of your little bits of crazy aren't unique after all, and that someone really gets you.  She had a thousand interests and could talk for hours, but also was so perceptive and intuitive about other people. 

I wish I had more time to get to know her.  I met her at Rust Belt in Columbus last year, hung out with her a bunch in Texas, and then she stayed with me in New York in January.  Between those times, emails and texts I was lucky enough to get to know her some.  We talked for hours about language, linguistics, sexuality, art.  When she got into the taxi to leave, I remember thinking "you know, when someone people visit I can't wait for them to leave, but I really wish Shannon could stay longer".  I feel that way now, only infinitely more pronounced.  But I have to remember I'm lucky to have had the chance to know her for the time I did.  This week I've been feeling her with me, a soft comfort under my skin, and I know she isn't gone.

www.getwellshannon.com

www.livejournal.community.com/shannonswishes

--

for a good friend and an amazing poet, shannon leigh, who passed away today after being in a coma for the past week.


Here
the water shines soft
all subtle horizon and
whispered rain mist and
here
baptize me open
skin to science
dissect me to everything simple
just pulse
your name out like a homing device
ive got handfuls of shattered light
to throw onto the blue screen
and make morning come
remember
when the walls hugged us
in my tiny brooklyn apartment
you were the first person
who made me feel like home there
reached in and tugged
the new york frost from my chest
held your hand there
till I felt it.
Shannon
my aunt dying ten years ago
made me stop beleiving in god
and now you
have taught me how to pray again
i'll believe in anything
that reminds me
nothing matters but who you love
so here
kiss my palms and touch my passport
i'll go everywhere
exhaling your gospel
how you sucked in life
and just held it there
til you felt it
and if words
become skeletons of sound
ive got drums
that echo your eyes
in brooklyn streetlight
ive got poems
as prayers and
here
I miss you like
ripping pages from
this holy book halved open
in my chest
my own heartbeat
is every amen and I can't stop thinking
of you
pushing up from under this water
wry smile and eyes flashing
ripples crackling and you can shatter
anything you want to
please crack this day to splinters
halve every memory I have
of hugging you goodbye at 4am
and watching the taxi drive away knowing
i'd be lonelier now, having had you there
and there is no soft brake
this crush in my heart is
just your hand holding it together there
til I feel it
myself.