after Ross Gay’s Inciting Joy
the whole right half of the sanctuary the people sliding their hands along the hard smooth polished backs of pews couldn’t figure out how to shuffle down the aisle at the right time one section lining up all the way to the door the other side forgetting to join them the concept of peeling off does take concentration Susan who’s new whose church used to meet here but now it’s gone and us instead and I in the way back laughing We’d better not get left out trotting down ahead of the congregants not realizing it was time to leave their seats the pastor’s wife in line behind me her hand heavy on my shoulder laughing We get it wrong every time! The whole church! I’m still laughing when it’s my turn grinning the priest grinning as he lays the wet wafer in my hand a bubble in his throat Christ’s body and it gets better given for you we’re singing I’m telling you the truth singing let all mortal flesh keep silence and I am still grinning I cross myself Susan back in her seat chuckling as I pass I shouldn’t be talking! she whispers too loud but I am reading an essay by a poet on joy and he ends with a story about his dad and a cousin at a family reunion where they see each other and they glee they shout We kin! across the way and if that isn’t the whole damn point I don’t know what is.