01 Feb Sorrow Is Not My Name by Ross Gay
—after Gwendolyn Brooks
No matter the pull toward brink. No
matter the florid, deep sleep awaits.
There is a time for everything. Look,
just this morning a vulture
nodded his red, grizzled head at me,
and I looked at him, admiring
the sickle of his beak.
Then the wind kicked up, and,
after arranging that good suit of feathers
he up and took off.
Just like that. And to boot,
there are, on this planet alone, something like two
million naturally occurring sweet things,
some with names so generous as to kick
the steel from my knees: agave, persimmon,
stick ball, the purple okra I bought for two bucks
at the market. Think of that. The long night,
the skeleton in the mirror, the man behind me
on the bus taking notes, yeah, yeah.
But look; my niece is running through a field
calling my name. My neighbor sings like an angel
and at the end of my block is a basketball court.
I remember. My color’s green. I’m spring.
—for Walter Aikens
About the Poet
Ross Gay is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which (Cavankerry Press, 2006); Bringing the Shovel Down (Pitt Poetry Series, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011); Be Holding (Pitt Poetry Series, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020), winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2015), winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. In addition to his poetry, Ross has released three collections of essays—The Book of Delights was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller; Inciting Joy was released in 2022, and his newest collection, The Book of (More) Delights was released in September of 2023.
This poem appears in Ross Gay’s Bringing the Shovel Down (Pitt Poetry Series, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011).
Related Event
-
- Just Buffalo Literary Center is pleased to announce “In Gratitude,” a city-wide reading and writing initiative designed to bring our community together. his project invites us all to practice “unabashed gratitude”—a concept inspired by the renowned poet and essayist Ross Gay.
The project is inspired by Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude and The Book of Delights. You can purchase these at our partner bookstores, or borrow them from the public library for a deeper dive into Gay’s work.There are many ways to join this initiative. Through workshops, pop-up events, shared readings, and more, we will weave a collective tapestry of appreciation that honors the spirit of our city. Whether you have thirty seconds or thirty days, your voice is a vital part of this effort.
Over the coming months, you will find “Gratitude boxes” stationed across Western New York, waiting to hold your stories and reflections. Whether it is a small, daily joy or a monumental life shift, we want to hear what sustains you and what gives you hope.
In Gratitude will culminate with a celebration on June 27, 2026 at the Silo City Reading Series (a ticketed event), featuring Ross Gay and Buffalo’s Poet Laureate Aitina Fareed-Cooke.
For more information about In Gratitude, visit the event pages of this webpage, or if you have specific questions, contact info@justbuffalo.org.
The Poem of the Week feature is curated by literary legacy awardee R.D. Pohl.
- Just Buffalo Literary Center is pleased to announce “In Gratitude,” a city-wide reading and writing initiative designed to bring our community together. his project invites us all to practice “unabashed gratitude”—a concept inspired by the renowned poet and essayist Ross Gay.