This past week, I had the wonderful experience of hearing Ross Gay talk about his new book, Inciting Joy: Essays. Now, I am devouring the book itself, immersing myself in his inspirational thinking. This reading led me to a bit of joyful poetry writing…
Talking About Joy according to Ross Gay poet essayist thinker writer joy is discovered through entanglement it is fundamentally intertwined with connection belonging to something other than yourself something bigger than yourself something where more than you is at the core yet, he says together we will hurt one another we will have sorrow perhaps his point is to open ourselves to others means sorrow and joy means messy **** he reminds us to hold this truth: people create beautiful robust lives in the midst of oppressive intolerable painful conditions joy is in the seams I love that: joy is in the seams **** the next morning after I heard his wisdom we decided to go the ‘regular’ way thinking our early morning start was before the construction the painful development of our local ‘purple line’ (we were wrong) our local street is now code for one merciless intersection after another block by block road closure single lane advance one at a time a horrible driving experience there was an anonymous apathetic impassive worker holding a stop sign WAIT WAIT WAIT all traffic slowed in a long queue then we saw on the embankment to our left seven construction workers in their bright yellow vests standing together in a circle yes, really truly honestly I counted the workers grouped in a circle they each swayed and swirled their hips laughing rocking moving in unison then they paused and began alternate twist toe touches all at the same time as if rehearsed choreographed exercise to start the day typically stern faces nonexistent I breathed in their delight smiled deeply feeling anew I need to pay more attention to the beauty of this world.
I didn’t know Ross Gay has a new book! Must. Buy. Now! Then I was thinking how difficult the subway construction must be to deal with given your home construction project just ended. Now I’m thinking you must give those workers copies of your poem. I’m imagining the joy it will bring them. I might need to write about the surprising joy I’m finding during my subbing adventures! But first that book!
The book talk was fabulous – and between hearing Ross Gay in person and reading his new book, I am now noticing lots of really charming, joyful things in the world around me. The construction effort precedes our home remodeling – and will continue far into the future. Fun to see those workers “making community” and having fun. Thanks, Glenda!!