Proof That I Was Here: A Collection of Poetry

Proof That I Was Here is a quiet rebellion etched in verse—a record of surviving, remembering, and finally speaking. In this intimate collection of over forty poems, Brayden Ford traces the contours of a childhood overshadowed by an alcoholic father, a mother who loved from too far away, and a church that demanded silence in exchange for salvation.Through raw reflections and sharply drawn imagery, Ford unspools the experience of growing up transgender in a world that refused to see him, reckoning with mental health and the question of worth. These poems do not ask for permission to feel—they insist on presence, carving out space where there was none before.This is not a book about healing neatly. It’s about the mess of trying. About naming pain and still choosing to live. Proof That I Was Here is a reminder for anyone who's ever felt invisible: you are not alone—and you matter. Read more