While Ross Gay's poetry reads very easily and mostly seems to be autobiographical and conversational, one would be wrong to dismiss his connection to the societal realities of the modern world. Most of Gay's most well know poems are written conversational, addressed at the speaker and discuss some emotions, often joyful ones. However, placed side by side with these joyful, almost prosaic written poems are deeply impactful and critical ones, shining a light on society from an African American perspective. Gay is a talented young writer and it is important to look at both these sides equally to fully understand the breadth of his poetry.
When first delving into the writings of Gay one clearly notices his proclivity for metaphor and simile. His language leans heavily on pictures, giving the impression of painting the intended feeling into the audience. This effect is amplified by the often direct address of the audience, sometimes as a whole and sometimes to a specific person. However, Gay also understands to break out of this world, shining a meta-analytical light on his poems with sudden breaks in the metaphor. One such example can be seen in "Opera Singer", where the first paragraph ends by referencing the ongoing simile that described the narrator's depth of despair. Another might be found in "Poem to my child, if ever you shall be", where the highly lyrical description of the hypothetical mother suddenly is interrupted. This tendency to use image rich language, however, is not at odds with the conversational style that has been mentioned before. It is exactly those breaks in the picture, the address of the audience and the topics chosen for his poetry that makes it so easy to read and so easy to enjoy.
The more serious edge of his poetry now deals mainly with society and the rule of the individual in it. Coming from an African American background topics of racism and police brutality depart clearly from the jovial style of his better know poetry. Gay, in his private life, has co-founded a community garden, indicative of his stance on social responsibility, namely the right to free food and shelter for everyone. This stance is clearly at odds with the modern world at large and this conflict is visible in his poetry. Next to the slightly angry and powerful poems addressing the racial aspect, others address the power of the individual. A special case of this is again found in "Poem to my child, if ever you shall be", where the narrator addresses a hypothetical child. The question is asked if it will shy away from the troubles or stand up and fight for those that can't fight for themselves.
