POETRY + ME = FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Andres Diaz (a.k.a. Spice) has been writing poems since he was 17. The words and rhymes were his safe space as he struggled with unrequited love, bipolar episodes, an emotionally distant mother, sexuality, abuse, and addiction. And yet, through all of it, the stubborn, ridiculous persistence of hope gave Andres the words to express his anguish. Poetry + Me = Freedom of Speech is the first poetry collection of Andres. He writes about HIV, about mental illness, about the particular loneliness of a man who can't stop falling in love. He writes about his mother, about his brother, about the therapist's office, and about the empty side of the bed. And he writes with raw honesty that will make you uncomfortable before giving you solace.

I've always skipped this part.
For some reason, I never thought it was relevant. But I suppose if you're going to read my pages, you might as well know a bit about who the poet is. So, here is my introduction-in as few words as possible.
On September 9, 1985, a baby was born at Beth Israel Hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts. Eleven pounds-can you believe it? The largest one in the maternity ward.
Andres David Diaz is what they chose to call me on the birth certificate.
Two years later, my family decided to move to Florida for a change of scenery and "a better way of living," settling in a little town called Coral Springs.
I have one older brother, quite the artist, whom I have always looked up to and admired. He inspired me in so many ways-whether it was continuing my passion for writing, embracing who I am, or coming to terms with my sexuality.
Growing up, I had to encounter a lot of different stages.
Insecurities. My sexual orientation. My weight. My dark thoughts.
You see,
I was not the jock, or the valedictorian, or even the drama kid.