A moving manifesto in poems and essays, inviting readers to embrace their humanity and live fully alive in our age of social change, hyper-capitalism, and pervasive loneliness

yes, everyone is struggling right now

so please be gracious

be kind & patient, but subvert

every institution that relies on our suffering

Something isn’t right. Every generation thinks that, but we have more cause than most. The way our society has been constructed is just not good for our bodies, our minds, or our hearts. What possible chance do our souls have?

In his debut collection, popular Instagram poet David Gate inspires us to rally for what makes life worth living: creating art as a form of care, living beyond consumer impulse, loving our neighbors (even the odd ones), and more. With his signature snark, humor, and billowing hope, Gate invites readers to ponder the complexities of self, community, love, and resilience.

Rejecting the notion that despair and positivity are our only available responses, Gate urges readers to foster deep friendships that challenge social orders and embrace questions of meaning and purpose. For, in his words, “Saying something true in a world awash with lies is the first act of rebellion.”