Bringing the Shovel Down

Bringing the Shovel Down was written by American poet Ross Gay and published in 2006 by the University of Pittsburgh Press. It was his debut full-length poetry collection. Gay is better known for his later works Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (2015), a National Book Award finalist, and The Book of Delights (2019).

Bringing the Shovel Down explores themes of family, violence, intimacy, and masculinity through gritty, emotionally direct verse. The collection examines how love and brutality coexist in everyday experience. These concerns established the emotional register that would characterize Gay's more widely celebrated later work.

Yes, Bringing the Shovel Down is Ross Gay's debut full-length poetry collection. It preceded Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (2015) and Be Holding (2020). The collection helped launch his career within contemporary American poetry.

Bringing the Shovel Down was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press as part of the Pitt Poetry Series. The Pitt Poetry Series has been a significant venue for American poetry since its founding in 1968. Inclusion in this series has helped launch numerous poets' careers.