[encore] 470: Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry by Jericho Brown

Summary

Summary of “[Encore] 470: Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry” by Jericho Brown on The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

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Release Date: July 15, 2025
Host: Tracy K. Smith (Encore Episode)

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Episode Introduction

In this encore episode of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, former host Tracy K. Smith steps in to guide listeners through a poignant exploration of vulnerability, kinship, and national identity through the lens of Jericho Brown's poem, "Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry." This episode serves as a heartfelt revisit to the rich archive of The Slowdown, offering both longtime listeners and newcomers a profound moment of reflection.

Host's Introduction to the Poem

Starting at [01:37], Tracy K. Smith sets the stage by delving into the universal experience of vulnerability. She reflects on how each individual harbors fears—sometimes irrational and rooted in misunderstanding—that erect barriers between people. Smith shares personal musings on fleeting moments of connection with strangers, emphasizing the innate human desire for trust and love amidst societal divisions.

Key Points from Introduction:

• Vulnerability and Fear: Smith discusses the inherent vulnerability in human interactions, highlighting how fear—often based on misconceptions—can distance us from one another.
• Accidental Kinship: She touches on those rare, serendipitous moments when strangers feel a kinship, suggesting a collective yearning for connection.
• National Reflection: The introduction sets a contemplative tone, preparing listeners to engage deeply with the themes presented in Brown's poem.

Poem Analysis: "Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry" by Jericho Brown

Tracy K. Smith proceeds to present Jericho Brown's "Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry," a multifaceted poem that intertwines personal narratives with broader societal commentary. The poem serves as a meditative piece urging listeners to acknowledge and appreciate the often-overlooked individuals who form the backbone of daily life.

Themes Explored:

1. Gratitude and Acknowledgment:

   • The poem emphasizes the importance of expressing gratitude to individuals who perform essential, yet undervalued, roles in society.
   • Lines like "they say thank you. They say sorry we don't sell motor oil anymore" underscore this sentiment.

2. Empathy and Compassion:

   • Brown calls for a deeper understanding and empathy towards those who are marginalized or unnoticed.
   • The poet's reference to people "who work in grocery stores" serves as a metaphor for recognizing the dignity in everyday labor.

3. Identity and Belonging:

   • The poem grapples with national identity, urging a collective reevaluation of what it means to belong to a nation.
   • Statements such as "I'd like us to rethink what it is to be a nation" highlight this introspection.

4. Resilience Amidst Struggle:

   • Brown portrays the silent strength of individuals who, despite facing personal and societal challenges, continue to contribute meaningfully.
   • Phrases like "they have washed their hands for you and they take the bus home" exemplify this resilience.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [01:50]
  "There is someone somewhere who, having never even met you, fears what you represent."
  — Tracy K. Smith

• [02:30]
  "Vulnerable to unkind words, to slights, to graver forms of harm."
  — Tracy K. Smith

• [04:15]
  "They know how much it costs for the eldest of us to eat."
  — Jericho Brown

• [05:00]
  "They say thank you. They say sorry we don't sell motor oil anymore."
  — Jericho Brown

• [05:45]
  "With a grief so thick you could touch it. Go on. Touch is early, it is late."
  — Jericho Brown

Conclusion

Tracy K. Smith's rendition of Jericho Brown's "Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry" is a compelling invitation to listeners to pause and reflect on the unnoticed pillars of society. Through evocative language and heartfelt emotion, the poem challenges us to extend gratitude and empathy beyond our immediate circles, fostering a sense of national unity and shared humanity. This episode of The Slowdown not only highlights the transformative power of poetry but also reinforces the podcast's mission to inspire and connect individuals through collective reflection.

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Transcript

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[Tracy K. Smith]

The slowdown is on a break right now, but we'll be back soon with a new host. In the meantime, we're bringing you some of the best episodes from our archives. Today we revisit an episode from Tracy K. Smith's time at the helm. Enjoy.

I'm Tracy K. Smith, and this is the Slowdown. Think of how vulnerable each of us is. Vulnerable to unkind words, to slights, to graver forms of harm. And yet I'm trying to figure out how to say this. There is someone somewhere who, having never even met you, fears what you represent. So many fears are rooted in ideas or suspicions about people we don't even know firsthand. I like it when I pass into the orbit of a stranger and without expecting or even wanting to, I feel a very accidental, very fleeting form of kinship. For me, this happens sometimes when I'm traveling and far from home, far from my everyday me, or when I'm moving through public space while also deeply lost in thought, talking to myself, maybe, or laughing at something I think only I have seen. And then I meet unfamiliar eyes and I understand that we are in the same moment together. How wonderful would it be if trust, or even love might be possible between any of us or even all of us. I mean, if we let ourselves be believe such a thing is possible. In the meantime, we move through our lives as experience tells us we must doubt, fear and mistrust, broadening the distance and the division between us. But today's poem gathers us up as a nation and asks us to recognize each other, say thank you, say I'm sorry By Jericho Brown I don't know whose side you're on, but I am here for the people who work in grocery stores that glow in the morning and close down for deep cleaning at night, right up in the street and in cities I mispronounce, in towns too tiny for my big black car to quit, and in every wide corner of Kansas where going to school means at least one field trip to a slaughterhouse I want so little. Another leather bound book, a gimlet with a lavender gin Bread so good. When I taste it I can tell you how it's made. I'd like us to rethink what it is to be a nation I'm in a mood about America today. I have PTSD about the Lord God save the people who work in grocery stores. They know a bit of glamour is a lot of glamour. They know how much it costs for the eldest of us to eat. Save my loves and not my sentences. Before I see them I draw a mole near my left dimple, add flair to the smile they can't see behind my mask. I grin or lie or maybe I wear the mouth of a beast. I eat wild animals. While some of us grow up knowing what gnocchi is, the people who work at the grocery don't care. They say thank you. They say sorry we don't sell motor oil anymore With a grief so thick you could touch it. Go on. Touch is early, it is late. They have washed their hands. They have washed their hands for you and they take the bus home.

The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram at slowdownshow and blueskylowdownshow.org.

[This Old House Host]

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[Tracy K. Smith]

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[Oregon Lottery Representative]

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[Dr. Z]

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[This Old House Host]

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