Gabrielle Bouliane (Austin Poetry Slam)
The lovely and amazing performance poet Gabrielle Bouliane performs for the audience at the Austin Poetry Slam. This would be her last public performance. Gabrielle was diagnosed with Stage Four Cancer shortly before this video was filmed. Our dear sister fought hard, but she ended her fight January 29, 2010. She was surrounded by family and friends, and her passing was in a very quiet, peaceful room full of love and affection. She was so brave. Please share this video with everyone you know. I am sure it would tickle her to no end to have this video get as viral as a video can be. Tell the world. Bunny up!
how come, i just saw this today? if only i had seen this on the day you put it up. would have saved me from a lot… this is beautiful. she’s amazing.
Has she passed away? It was a great poem from a half angel x
@soniekisses You are absolutely right, we can’t intellectualize everything. However, I don’t think this falls into the category of “messages” which are not meant to be interpreted, because such a message would in most cases be adressed to a single person. As soon as she speaks in front of an audience, it is a performance. And however honestly she is speaking, I just talked about the way she spoke, I never criticized the content of what she said. No message is perfect. But this one’s real good!
@jonnyblacko Sometimes it is important to get out of our own way, to look beyond our attempts to exit out of human experience by intellectualizing or academizing it. Gabrielle wrote this to send you a message. It is not a POEM it is a MESSAGE. Jonny, can you get the message? The MESSAGE is PERFECT.
@eirikott I surely didn’t want to offend you and I’m sorry if you feel badly because of my comment, however I didn’t know that this was her last reading and I don’t think a performance should be uncriticized and qualified as “perfect” just because it is the last one of a certain poet. If she does have some poetic qualities, then she would definitely approve of me saying that a good criticism should always be independent and honest, and not biased by pity.
The most inspiring words I’ve ever heard. I’ve watched this about a dozen times. I keep this in my favorites and use it like you used the photo of a woman after radiation treatment.
Thankyou.
The happy-happy-dance-joy-jazz is a bit weird way to start and end this mind-shaking, emotionally so, well, differently loaded performance.. I personally wish I could see and live this video without it.
Gabrielle: you will never be forgotten. Your love and your words still live in my heart, in all our hearts. You have touched so many. rest in peace.
Rest in peace Gabrielle. This is very powerful. Motivational. You’ve spoken the truth. And you’ve died fighting a struggle that won… Bunny up!
This video made me cry. Touching.
that was touching, thanks to her i will!
@MissMoxie78
‘Little Angels among us’.
thanx for your courage ‘Gabby’.
Haunting words and poem …rip Bouliane .
“Let me rephrase it for you in a way that will make more sense. You’re gonna die.”
We just passed health care reform. I can not help but think people like this young lady were looking out for all of us.
Extremely motivational! R.I.P.
Thank you for posting this message…. a beautiful insight (truth) from someone who could see… and thank you Gabrielle for your message….
gabrielle used to wear bunny ears, and it sort of became her signature look. when she got sick, lots of people in the poetry slam community starting posting photos of themselves wearing bunny ears in support of gabrielle. the phrase “bunny up” comes from that, it was like a call to arms, like gabrielle needs us.
What is the poem everyone is referencing when they say “bunny up”? I’ve not been able to find it…
thanks to derek for posting this on FB. took too many friends’ deaths to get me to this place, but i’ve been doing it, living every moment like it was? near the end, for 7 or 8 years now. best years of my life!! even went back to school this year, at age 53 :) what a great legacy she left behind…
aaaaa…shit.
What a powerful message!
RIP Gabrielle. Thank you for opening my eyes.
great speech…
R.I.P
wow