Gary Beck- Three Poems

Searching For…

 

I sought advancement

in the material world

yearning the treasures

money could buy,

a quest for fulfillment

of childhood frustrations,

pleasures denied, desires thwarted.

Trapped in fears and envy,

I overcame obstacles,

put limitations behind me

on the road to acquisition

of wealth, possessions,

the outward display

of belonging, membership,

in a crass society

whose measure was money,

allowing full participation

in the rights and privileges

of a democracy

designed for the few,

worked for by many,

position determined

by how much we have.

When I awakened

from a deceptive dream

and did  not want

the burden of things

to shape my life,

I sought to remove desire

for more worthy goals,

but still find it difficult

to resist temptation.

 

 

 

Voices of Reason

 

Attempts by peacemakers

often ignored

in the stress and strain

of daily contact,

strive to maintain

levels of calm

despite confrontation

inevitably leading

to violent conflict,

whether one on one,

nation versus nation,

bloodshed never resolving

new or old antagonisms,

the remaining hope

survivors not consumed by hate,

willing to listen to reason.

 

 

 

I Want

 

Too many of us

consumed by desire

lust for what we don't have,

craving eroding the spirit,

the well of kindness,

compassion, humanity

sustaining our kinship,

so quickly forgotten

in the lust for acquisition.

 

 

 

Gary Beck has spent most of his adult life as a theater director, and as an art dealer when he couldn’t make a living in theater. He has 11 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 (Winter Goose Publishing). Perceptions, Displays, Fault Lines and Tremors will be published by Winter Goose Publishing. Conditioned Response will be published by Nazar Look. His novels include: Extreme Change (Cogwheel Press) Acts of Defiance (Artema Press). Flawed Connections has been accepted for publication (Black Rose Writing). His short story collection, A Glimpse of Youth (Sweatshoppe Publications). 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. He currently lives in New York City.