While most of Gay's poetry has a joyful and positive attitude, some darker and more realistic tendons can be found in some of his shorter poems. Similarily to family, friendship is depicted positively. It can be found in a more subtle way in poems like 'Opera Singer', where a strangers song warms the heart of the protagonist. It is the obvious central topic of 'Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude', where the narrator lists acquaintances and strangers alike, calling them friends. Throughout the poetry of Gay, friendship can be seen as one of the main themes. The concept of family is always depicted positively, shedding some light on the personal realities of the author. It can be found in the shape of a wedding of friends in 'Wedding Poem', a yearning for what might be in 'Poem to my child, if ever you shall be' or a thankful note towards a father in 'Catalogu of Unabashed Gratitude'. While not a central theme of whole poetic collections, family is a recurring topic. These examples, among many, showcase the vivid language and the depth of emotion within the poetry of Ross Gay. Pure love, finally, is found in 'Poem to my child, if ever you shall be'. A mixture of hate and dejection can be found in 'Love, I'm done with you'. The feeling of depression is exemplified in the beginning of 'Opera Singer', joy is part of 'Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude. Using a highly image rich language, he describes love, sadness, hate, joy in extremely vivid tones. Throughout his poems, Gay often deals with the intensity of feelings. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

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The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry