People + Bodies

People + Bodies

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People + Bodies
People + Bodies
Hi, loves. 📝

Hi, loves. 📝

Poems + Prompts #23

Abby Rasminsky's avatar
Abby Rasminsky
Jun 08, 2023
∙ Paid
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People + Bodies
People + Bodies
Hi, loves. 📝
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Well, hello! And welcome to Poems + Prompts, the paid edition of People + Bodies. I’m so happy you’re here to do a little reading and writing.

A quick note! I am going to pause this paid portion of my newsletter starting in July, when Summer School begins. If you’d like to participate in a more interactive version of this (plus videos! Q+As! much cheerleading!), please sign up for Summer School here.


Today we are reading a prose poem by Ross Gay. The first thing one notices about this one is its utter lack of punctuation, the whole thing is read in one long breath and takes place over a short period of time — a walk with a child in need of a boost. But Gay also plays with time here, slowing things down quite dramatically at the end, almost suspending it completely. This poem (like so much of his work) feels so full of joy and delight, but there’s a sneaky, darker undercurrent. Can you feel it?

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