Throwing Children
by Ross GayIt is really something when a kid who has a hard time becomes a kid who’s having a good time in no small part thanks to you throwing that kid in the air again and again on a mile long walk home from the Indian joint as her mom looks sideways at you like you don’t need to keep doing this because you’re pouring with sweat and breathing a little bit now you’re getting a good workout but because the kid laughs like a horse up there laughs like a kangaroo beating her wings against the light because she laughs like a happy little kid and when coming down and grabbing your forearm to brace herself for the time when you will drop her which you don’t and slides her hand into yours as she says for the fortieth time the fiftieth time inexhaustible her delight again again again and again and you say give me til the redbud tree or
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13 comments:
Thanks for the burst of joy today -- and the reminder that I need to read more of Gay's work. Love his unbridled stream of consciousness approach. :)
It's a beaut. Gorgeous imagery. And a wee bittersweet twist at the end.
I don't like prose poems, so I'd normally have skipped this. But who can resist that title! :>D I at least made it through several lines and laughed at the whole situation...
Oh, I love Ross Gay 🤗thanks for sharing this one!
Oh, I love that poem, too. Thank you for putting it here! I'd seen it somewhere in my internet travels this week, and enjoyed a slower reading of it here today.
Karen, what a beautiful poem. I have been reading other Ross Gay poems now that you linked to his poem here. So wonderful. What joy and love in this "Throwing Child" "bumblebee carousing the little unripe persimmon" poem. Just gorgeous!
Thank you for sharing this poem, Karen. I am unfamiliar with Ross Gay. I will have to look for more work from this poet. I cringed a little at the child being "thrown" only because I used to see children that were accidently injured from this or being "swung" by a parent or caregiver. If nothing like that happens, it is joyful, indeed!
So joyous - thanks for sharing, Karen. "and you say give me til the redbud tree" -- hilarious!
My sister sent me this poem the other day - we're both first-time grammas and have been delighting in our visits and video-time with our kids' kids. Ross Gay's poem captured that joy so well!
Absolutely fabulous! Whenever I'm asked what my favorite sound is...it's that giggle!
Pair this with the flash mob of Ode to Joy at Linda B.'s blog and you'll be giddy, in spite of the gloomy clouds outside your window!
"inexhaustible delight" - yes! Thanks for sharing.
Ross Gay is my man these days, constant source of giddy unapologetic joy.
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