What is the legacy you want to leave behind?
When I think about legacy, I don’t picture wealth or status, I envision of a shelf. A tall, dusty shelf sits in some quiet room, decades from now. It is lined with books that echo voices. These are the voices that were once silenced. I want my poetry to outlive me. This is not just for the sake of art. It is for the sake of those who have felt or will feel invisible. My legacy will be one of poetic excellence, but also one of resistance, resilience, and raw truth.
Words like Lanterns
I want to be remembered as someone who used his words like lanterns. I aim to light paths for trans and queer youth. They need to see themselves clearly in a world that often erases them. I want to leave behind a body of work that makes people feel braver, more seen, and more whole. My legacy will focus on collaboration in publishing.
I aim to publish not only my own books. I also lift others’ voices in shared collections. These collections challenge injustice and document our collective truths. I will also start a publishing company. Its primary focus will be on publishing the work of those who are most vulnerable. These individuals are often most likely to be ignored.
Restless Care
Above all, I want my legacy to be one of relentless care. I care for the underdog, for the misrepresented, and for those living in the margins. I want my words and projects to remind future generations that their stories matter. Once upon a time, someone fought like hell to make sure they’d be heard.
Axton is the Change!
Just in case this was a thing you didn’t pick up on. I don’t want to be remembered as someone who simply talked about the need for change. I want to be remembered as someone who was the change. Someone whose voice didn’t just echo in empty halls. It moved through communities, laws, and generations. This helped to carve out a freer world for minorities. A world where they are no longer just fighting to be heard, but living loudly, boldly, and without shame.
