Poetry is one of the most unique and intense methods of literary expression. A poem is not just a pile of meaningless lines and stanzas, it is an emotional tornado of words, symbols, metaphors, all intended to convey a message. The poet Emanuel Xavier reveals in his poems the most provocative intimacies of his past life. He is an artist who uses writing as an outlet to reveal who he is – both to the world and to himself. Emanuel Xavier was born on May 3, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York, to an Ecuadorian mother and a Puerto Rican father. His youth was unstable; his father left before he was born, and when he was three, an older cousin sexually assaulted him. As if he didn't have it tough enough already, Xavier was kicked out of his home at the age of 16 after telling his mother he was gay. Although his mother later regretted her decision and tried to bring him back, Emanuel Xavier used this opportunity to face his sexuality alone in the world. With no other options, a homeless gay teenager on the unforgiving city streets turned to sex and drugs to make money. He dealt drugs in Manhattan clubs until 1996, when one of his drug-dealing friends was murdered. After hearing this news, he was forced to think twice about the life he was leading. At the same time, many of his friends were testing positive for HIV, and the fear of contracting such a deadly disease was enough to force Xavier to pursue more meaningful ambitions. Emanuel Xavier had, in the past, attended open mic nights at the Nuyorican. Café, a poetry and visual arts cafe in New York's Lower East Side, but at a turning point in his life, he started doing more and more. That, combined with his growing commitment to his work at A Different...... middle of paper ...... says "because I'm far too complex to be something simple", meaning that it cannot be defined on paper; and cannot be summarized, because he is a complex human being. This, in comparison to his previous collection, serves to illustrate how he developed both as a poet and as a human being. In addition to reflecting on his life, he became an activist, writing to improve society with his words. In the background of the poem lingers his troubling past, but now it is about a future that he aspires to influence and improve through poetry. He ends the piece, and the entire collection, with “I haven’t finished fighting yet/I haven’t finished reading yet/I haven’t finished writing yet/the future is in our words. » Works CitedAlfred, Chip. "Emanuel Xavier talks about AIDS, love, sex and his latest book of poetry." A&U Magazine Day August 2010: 1. Print.