You, who carry daylight on your face by Major Jackson
You, who carry daylight on your face
Major JacksonYou, who carry daylight on your face
the best of us all, the sky is lust,
and stills my zippered spine. Observe my envy
of the sea where you wade, its surface
like an afternoon of swordplay.
You shun the lips of infants disguised as men.
Young girls cherish the mirrors where you
quickly collect yourself. The neighbors
know your comings and goings, but the syntax
of your smiles is revealed only to little children.
MARGINALIA
1.
Day 28 of The Sealey Challenge. Today’s offering is Holding Company by Major Jackson.
2.
This is a collection showcasing tightly structured 10-line poems. It’s an interesting formal constraint that actually opens up the work in surprising ways. The poems traverse a wide range of themes, from mythic reflections to modern-day pop culture, all while maintaining the darker undercurrents that flow beneath the surface of everyday life.
3.
The poet writes about the intersections of literature and music in order to explore the tension between despair and hope, between the remnants of what was and the possibilities of what could be. The book also prompts the reader to reflect on the ways we seek solace in art and connection in a world that often feels isolating.
KEEP READING
SHARED WITH GRATITUDE
This poem appeared in Holding Company by Major Jackson, published by W.W. Norton & Company, 2010. (Available on: Amazon • Bookshop)
DESCRIPTION
““A devastatingly beautiful collection of strange and wonderful poems.” ―Poetry Daily
In these poems of broken unions and acute longing, Major Jackson explores art, literature, and music as seductive forces in our lives.” (Source)
ABOUT MAJOR JACKSON
Major Jackson was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he pursued his degree in accounting at Temple University. In the late 1990s, he joined the Dark Room Collective, an organization that gave greater visibility to emerging and established writers of color and included Thomas Sayers Ellis, John Keene, Janice Lowe, Carl Phillips, Tracy K. Smith, Sharan Strange, Natasha Trethewey, Artress Bethany White, and Kevin Young. Jackson is the author of six collections of poetry,… (more)
Read more poems by Major Jackson • Find books by this poet on Amazon • Bookshop • Follow on Instagram • Twitter • Website • Or view my library
ENDNOTES
- This is Day 28 of The Sealey Challenge 2024—a community challenge to read one book of poetry a day for the month of August, named after Nicole Sealey.
- Explore other works in pursuit of: tenderness • the body • the sea • Or browse the index
- If this work resonates with you, please consider supporting the archive. Thank you for reading.
