Gary Beck, 7/1/2019

Current Occupation: I am currently a writer

Former Occupation: I was formerly a director/playwrite.

Contact Information:  Gary Beck has spent his adult life as a theater director. He has 14 published chapbooks. His poetry collections include Days of Destruction (Skive Press), Expectations (Rogue Scholars Press), Dawn in Cities, Assault on Nature, Songs of a Clerk, Civilized Ways, Displays, Perceptions, Fault Lines, Tremors, Perturbations, Rude Awakenings, The Remission of Order and Contusions (Winter Goose Publishing). Conditioned Response (Nazar Look), Virtual Living (Thurston Howl Publications), Blossoms of Decay, Expectations, Blunt Force and Transitions (Wordcatcher Publishing). His  novels include Flawed Connections (Black Rose Writing), Call to Valor and Crumbling Ramparts (Gnome on Pig Productions), Sudden Conflicts (Lillicat Publishers). Acts of Defiance  and Flare Up Wordcatcher Publishing). His short story collections include A Glimpse of Youth (Sweatshoppe Publications), Now I Accuse and other stories (Winter Goose Publishing) and Dogs Don’t Send Flowers and other stories (Wordcatcher Publishing). The Republic of Dreams and other essays (Gnome on Pig Productions). Feast or Famine and other one act-plays will be published by Wordcatcher Publishing. His original plays and translations of Moliere, Aristophanes and Sophocles have been produced Off Broadway. His poetry, fiction and essays have appeared in hundreds of magazines. He lives in New York City.

 

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Illusory Image

Our leaders,

nurtured by tv,

wear slick suits,

slicker faces

to get elected,

as qualified

as average household pets

to run a complex nation.

Somehow, sincere looks,

concerned statements,

convince many of us

unqualified politicians

can be trusted

to solve our problems.

 

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Unreconciled

It's only been a few days,

but New Year's resolutions,

already forgotten

in recurrence of routine,

the normal pattern

for most Americans

struggling to survive

loss of prosperity,

diminished opportunity,

previous expectations

aggravated

by passing limousines.

 

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Thwarted Shoppers

The prosperous course the streets

purchasing tantalizing goods

from beckoning shops

promising satisfaction

with extravagant treasures

denied ordinary folk,

who can no longer afford

to buy what they want,

rudely reduced

to second-class consumers.