Ross Gay, poet

I have just finished listening to a wonderful conversation between Pam Houston and Ross Gay, after he read a nice chunk of his new book, Be Holding. (Here is an excerpt from that work, which constitutes a single 88-page poem written in couplets, sort of about Dr. J's mind-blowing scoop shot in the 1980 NBA finals, 76ers vs. Lakers. Even so [I do not do sports], I am eager to read the poem--basketball or not. Because of course, it's about so very much more. But heck, I'm open to appreciating basketball perfection as metaphor. Maybe I'll learn something.) 

The event reminded me how much I enjoy Ross's poetry and prose. And spirit and generosity: he's full of joy and depth, and looks at life straight on. I offered up one of his poems back four years ago (find it here), but it's been a while, so here's another one, from his first book of poetry, Against Which (2006):

Thank You

If you find yourself half naked
and barefoot in the frosty grass, hearing,
again, the earth's great, sonorous moan that says
you are the air of the now and gone, that says
all you love will turn to dust,
and will meet you there, do not
raise your fist. Do not raise
your small voice against it. And do not
take cover. Instead, curl your toes
into the grass, watch the cloud
ascending from your lips. Walk
through the garden's dormant splendor.
Say only, thank you.
Thank you.

And here is Ross in conversation with Krista Tippett of On Being in July 2019. She introduces him thus: "The ephemeral nature of our being allows him to find delight in all sorts of places (especially his community garden [or as he refers to it, orchard]). To be with Gay is to train your gaze to see the wonderful alongside the terrible; to attend to and meditate on what you love, even in the midst of difficult realities and as part of working for justice."

Here is a link to today's reading and conversation. I will be going back to it. He is such a delight, and Pam asked some really good questions. (Indeed, I have just now scanned the entire archive of Readings x Writers, all of which I missed--and I'll be checking out a bunch of them. What a gift!)

Finally, why not, although I supplied a link to Ross reading this poem in that earlier post, here is a different one, easily clickable: "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude."

 

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Today's Covid-19 stats (they're not getting rosier yet, but the first shipment of vaccines just arrived in county, so here's hoping): 18,951 total cases, 145 current hospitalizations, 167 deaths--up 444, down 3 (yay!), and no change (yay), respectively, since yesterday.

Stay safe. Stay connected. Keep reaching out.