Decay of Democracy
The political charade
in divided America
becomes tenser daily
as issues, agendas, ambitions
rasp the public well-being
trying to survive
an irresponsible President,
who tells the people
‘there are good people
on each side’
when nazis and radicals
fight each other
for extremist views,
instead of stopping them.
Summons For Life
Unnatural deposits
of toxic material
undegradable,
plastics strangling the ocean,
waste of every kind
polluting the air, earth,
leaders too ignorant
to recognize the danger
on a fragile planet
that sustains life.
Miracle? Coincidence?
As we need a wake-up call
to preserve the future.
Population Density
When I was young
I traveled many roads
in my land, foreign lands,
all different,
some close to nature.
Now I’ve become citified
confined to concrete,
familiar with subways,
not where forests grow.
Trapped in urban maze
in a land grown foreign
I no longer know
where I belong.
Glum Picture
Wherever I go
the people of my land
do not look happy.
Fortunately,
not all of them,
but so many,
I did not know
misery possessed so many.
Even mothers with children
do not look glad,
at least while outside,
making me fear
for the well-being of the nation.
Gary Beck has spent most of his adult life as a theater director and worked as an art dealer when he couldn’t earn a living in the theater. He has also been a tennis pro, a ditch digger and a salvage diver. 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 literary magazines and his published books include 26 poetry collections, 10 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 collection of essays and 1 collection of one-act plays. Published poetry books include: Dawn in Cities, Assault on Nature, Songs of a Clerk, Civilized Ways, Displays, Perceptions, Fault Lines, Tremors, Perturbations, Rude Awakenings, The Remission of Order, Contusions and Desperate Seeker (Winter Goose Publishing. Forthcoming: Learning Curve and Ignition Point). Earth Links, Too Harsh For Pastels, Severance and Redemption Value (Cyberwit Publishing. Forthcoming: Fractional Disorder). His novels include a series ‘Stand to Arms, Marines’: Call to Valor, Crumbling Ramparts and Raise High the Walls (Gnome on Pig Productions) and Extreme Change (Winter Goose Publishing). Wavelength will be published by Cyberwit 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). The Big Match and other one act plays (Wordcatcher Publishing). Collected Plays of Gary Beck Volume 1 (Cyberwit Publishing. Forthcoming: Plays of Aristophanes translated, then directed by Gary Beck). Gary lives in New York City.
