THIS IS THE ONE WHERE GRAVITY MAN KEEPS HIS BALANCE & Other Poems
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE GRAVITY MAN KEEPS HIS BALANCE
with one small moon in orbit around his center, Gravity Man can hold everything inside. without one small moon in orbit around his center, Gravity Man forgets where to focus his gravity.
Gravity Man must remember to focus his gravity at his center so that the small moon stays in orbit. Gravity Man must remember to focus his gravity so that he does not interfere with the gravity of the world.
it is because of this that Gravity Man cannot allow anyone inside the small circle of space between his center and his moon. it is because of this that Gravity Man pushes everyone to the other side of the street.
everyone laughs when they see Gravity Man walking alone on the other side of the street, one small moon in orbit around his center. it is a small price to pay to keep the gravity of the world from crushing everyone’s skulls.
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE GRAVITY MAN DOES NOTHING
a grave misfortune threatens to unbalance the world. a second grave misfortune comes along and threatens to unbalance the world in a different way. neither grave misfortune can be ignored. if either grave misfortune is ignored, it will unbalance the world.
this gives Gravity Man a great, unbearable feeling. the feeling is not good but it is powerful. oh how this feeling feels, thinks Gravity Man. how everything might break a little.
more grave misfortunes arrive with more threats to unbalance the world in different ways. soon there are so many grave misfortunes that Gravity Man cannot look at them all. Gravity Man watches misfortune after misfortune threaten to unbalance the world until there is a whole tidal wave of misfortune, threatening to crash over his head. this will unbalance the world in the most dramatic way yet.
another tidal wave arrives. Gravity Man cannot look at either of the tidal waves of misfortune, nor can he ignore them either. Gravity Man looks to the little moon at his center and does nothing. this breaks him open, just a little.
a tidal wave of misfortune crashes into a tidal wave of misfortune crashing over his head, Gravity Man awash in misfortune. Gravity Man thinks if everyone in the world were to break, just a little, it would not be good but it would be powerful. a tidal wave crashing not all at once but in a million misfortunes. this gives Gravity Man a great feeling. not good, but (just a little) not unbearable.
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE GRAVITY MAN GAINS A NEW MOON
as he opens his eyes, the little chunk of earth he knows to be there is in orbit around his center. this is how Gravity Man knows he is not dreaming. Gravity Man sighs but does not falter. as he opens the door, a gust of wind threatens to unbalance everything. still, Gravity Man does not falter. as he steps off the sidewalk, a rideshare van threatens to unbalance everything. still, Gravity Man does not falter. as he rides in the van, as he passes the park, as he leaves the city. still, then. but, as he looks out over the river, everything stops. the river looks back at him, the sun a watery eye in its center. at this very moment, Gravity Man knows, a little drop of water rises out of the river. orbits his center. if he knows where to look, he can only just look.
Steve Minnich teaches, tends bar, and makes space for reading and writing in Richmond, Virginia. Steve reads for Only Poems. His work can be found in places. He would love to read with you some time.