Joy Begets Joy in Ross Gay's Book of Delights

I have always believed that joy begets joy. I have also been accused of seeing the world through rose colored glasses. That’s fine by me. Now that I’ve read poet, professor, and essayist Ross Gay’s “The Book of Delights,” I sense that I’m in the presence of another soulmate. What a perfectly prescient choice for the One Maryland, One Book program and our local library’s video and discussion series.

Mr. Gay exudes a pure joy and a benevolent spirit. To hear him recite his poetry or read his essays is reminiscent of watching Amanda Gorman’s startlingly lovely turn at President Biden’s inauguration. They share a physicality, their bodies sway, and their visages express wonderment as they connect with their audiences.

I happened upon this collection at a low time for me, in the beginning of the covid lockdown, a full year and a half ago. Gay’s words lifted me up. I felt such a kinship with his observations, particularly those that involved nature, growing things, and food. When he speaks of entering a bakery in his hometown, Bayonne, New Jersey, and being overwhelmed with delight at the yeasty smell of the wares, I too, felt overwhelmed with emotion.

I would say that there are no words but, of course, a poet finds those words. They can be so simple but so evocative. My heart swelled when he wrote of holding very still with a red flower in his outstretched hand until the nearby hummingbird dove in and out sucking the nectar. And butterflies? Lightning bugs? Oh my! His description of shepherding a fledgling tomato plant through a crowded airport, garnering fans along the way, is hilarious and wondrous.

Algonquin Press says that this book was written during a tumultuous time. You might think it was covid but no, it was published in 2019. The tumult Ross Gay is feeling is actually the fear, anxiety, and trepidation that weighs down Black men in America. Gay was in Umbria attending a writing workshop when he arrived at the idea of penning a short essay of gratitude for each day of his life over the course of a year. What a brilliant way to fight despair.

An interviewer asked if he had always been this optimistic and he laughed joyously. He spoke a universal truth. No, he never considered himself an optimist at all. But he discovered that practicing delight generates more delight. In the face of inexplicable sorrow and loss, the joy he found in the overlooked beauty of each day boosted his endorphins. Reading this book will boost yours too. I guarantee it.