Welcome to Litsy!

#25Alive!

I‘ve not read this Ross Gay title yet but the #Gratitude quote here is from the titular poem in the book.💙

#PoetryMatters Day 1: #Voice
Thank you to this reading community that nourishes the spirit. ✨🌷✨

#weirdwords #weirdwordswednesday @CBee

Did you guys know that this delicate, introspective poet who writes mostly about cultivating joy and gardening got his start in college basketball, thought about going the pro sports route, and wrote his 7th book entirely as an ode to Julius Erving?

Gay did a such a good job in this volume of blending dreams and memories, and of letting his self conscious poetic voice take over just enough to build up complex layered emotions that we can recognize and experience with him, but that don‘t have simple names. His books may be titled gratitude, delight, joy, but he‘s writing about something less concrete. #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

#hyggehour #litsolace Currently curled up in my blanket nest with Ross Gay recovering from our bi-yearly experiment to see if humans can be convinced time is just a social construct. @AllDebooks @Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @jenniferw88

#HumbleHarvest @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Gratitude

Damn, I love Ross Gay. Whether in essay (as in The Book of Delights—phenomenal—or Inciting Joy—currently reading) or in poem (here!), he writes with such a large-hearted, open-armed, joyous, rowdy, occasionally quite dirty in more ways than one, profoundly moved and deeply moving way of looking at the world. Here, the poems plumb the depths of grief, gardening, and gratitude. “Burial” left me sobbing and “The Opening” brought me peace. ❤️

I just put a *bunch* of poetry (& poetry-adjacent) books on hold. Tagging the collections below for anyone who‘s interested!

Photo by my good pal, Dave.
(Instagram: @ decent_nature_photography)

⭐⭐⭐
An interesting collection of poetry from a man who had a unique perspective on life.
I felt Gay's style is a stream of consciousness which felt like an impassioned conversation.
I found his work a good reminder to focus on gratitude.
However, I don't plan on reading more of his poetry. While it was enlightening, I did realize it's not my cup of tea.
#poetry

#poetry

Started reading this book of #poetry that was a gift from a very thoughtful co-worker.

This brief poetry collection was just marvelous. The poems center on the simple joys of the natural world, the universal cycle of life and death. It was just a breath of fresh air.
#readharder

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This collection is so sweet.
One minute he has you reveling in the warmth of the sun and the simple beauties of nature, and the next minute... you‘re crying? (Wait... how did that happen?!) Life = loss, but ultimately loss is still inextricably linked to abundant joy.
Oozing with love and admiration of nature, his poems juxtapose deep sorrow and grief with beauty and thankfulness.

Favorite Poem: Burial

Perfect mid-winter pick me up!

November was a slow reading (or at least completing) month but I did manage to complete and throughly enjoy my November #bookspin Ross Gay‘s unique poetry collection “The Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.” Would definitely recommend it if you‘re looking for poetry that veers away from the common themes of falling in love and out of love/heartbreak.

#ReadYourSign book four: Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, by Leo author Ross Gay. This was hit or miss for me. Some of the poems grabbed me directly by the heart and refused to let go (Burial, in particular). Others didn‘t connect for me. Maybe part of that is my fault for tearing through two poetry books in one day—I may revisit Ross Gay‘s work at another time and like it better.

@Tanisha_A this is the poem I mentioned in your post ;D

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.

Book riot has curated a list of poets who remind of Mary Oliver. So good! - http://bookriot.com/2020/05/08/poets-like-mary-oliver/

Love love love Gay‘s writing! This is a gorgeous book of poetry focused on gratitude for the small things, which, when placed together, comprise the large arcs of our lives. I love the way his poems pivot - they often start at one point and meander, ending at a different place from where they started, but somehow maintaining a beautiful cohesiveness. Gay is definitely a new to me favorite writer!

My fiancé and I are celebrating a quiet Christmas Eve with a book exchange, a cinnamon apple Moscow mule, and reading on the couch together. I got him Ryan North‘s How to Invent Everything, and he got me this slim book of poetry. I‘ve already read it, but I‘m delighted to own it and reread selections tonight ❤️

One of the things I love about reading poetry is that every book feels like a discovery— I keep up with book news & new releases in so many other genres that it‘s harder and harder for a book to feel like a surprise now. I was halfway through this delightful collection (found on a whim in the library catalog) before I thought to look it up and find out all the awards it‘s won. Gay is so good at love and loss and ultimately, hope. Pick this one up.

Wow! This little book of poetry packs a punch! Lush, gorgeous, and filled with life, this was the perfect book to read in bits and pieces while gardening on this lovely spring day. #2 in my #4in48readathon ! #MountTBR #unreadshelfproject @Syndelle777

I‘ll give this a try @Syndelle777 #4in48readathon #TBR

💔

This poetry collection deserves all the praise it's received. Humble and charming, Ross Gay sees the beautiful and not-so-beautiful and loves it all. These poems focus on nature, especially the joy of producing things in the garden, as well as friends and family.

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 123 - Wedding Poem

And that, friends, is the last poem I'll be sharing from this Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude - one of the more joyous and uplifting poetry collections I've read in a long time!

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 122 - Ode to Drinking Water From My Hands

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 121 - C'mon!

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 120 - Ending the Estrangement

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 119 - Becoming a Horse

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 118 - Ode to Sleeping in My Clothes

#LitsyPoetry365 Day 117 - Ode to the Flute

The next few poetry posts will be selections from Ross Gay's collection, examining the intersection of nature and humanity. I will only be sharing those poems that fit well in a single photo, but you really should check out the whole body of work. It's amazing!

I'm one of those surly people who seldom agrees with an award winner, but dammit Ross Gay is amazing, quirky, vibrant, and a powerfully talented poet. -a.c.

#AprilBookShowers Day 23 - Poetry

Kali, in typical cat style, has no concept of gratitude. She expects scritches, snacks, and to be left alone - what she wants, when she wants. Her hoomans get no "thank you" yet love her just as she is.

This moving and dynamic poetry collection explores the things that change and go away - especially our friends, family, and the world around us.

Best way to end the week is with #bookmail. My daughter is sick with a stomach bug so no fun here today. Also, against my bookish resolutions, I continue book buying unabated. It's a sickness of another kind, I think.

Serving you #inschool realness with Ross Gay's Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude and my statistics notes because this is my daily life-- balancing reading for pleasure and for class, work, an then MORE CLASS! :(

"I'll call it patience;
I'll call it joy, this,
my supine congress
with the newly yawning grass"

#poetry

Love this collection of poetry & Ross Gay's honest style. He's a master of the turn.

Happiness at 30,000 feet