Rank Corruption
I learned at an early age not everything was as it seemed. Our leaders praised democracy, professed to serve the people, but were hired by capitalists to benefit the wealthy. We always had poverty, crime, violence, disorder, only slightly better than other countries. These conditions continue year after year without change. Why is there no improvement? Why does each generation include the disadvantaged whose children are denied equal opportunity? In a dumbing down country all children should be valued for potential contributions to an endangered future.
©2018 Matt Collamer via Unsplash
Frightened Faces
I go to the hospital. They take my temperature before letting me in. I fill out forms, although I already did it online. The worker disinfecting chairs in the tense waiting room does not distance. Everyone looks tired, stressed, yet they are pleasant, polite to the apprehensive patients. I wait a long time, but don’t think they’re playing golf. They take vitals, draw blood, I wait again. The doctor appears, moving slowly, does everything carefully, studies my chart, kindles a smile. “You don’t have Covid 19.” I heave a sigh of relief, thank him, leave, try to forget scared patients waiting to learn their fate.
Non–Commemorative
Like other important events we are already forgetting invasion of the Capital that wasn’t quite as dramatic as the storming of the Bastille. But what if the invaders captured and executed senators, representatives. Of course some Americans think it would be small loss, other ambitious members replacing them overnight and not making a difference, as long as the ship of state, as leaky as it may be, continues to sail on. Unlike the memorable July 14th holiday that reminds the French people of Liberté... that only materialized for the few, as in our land, where there won’t be fond remembrance of the assault on democracy.
These poems are from Unveilings (manuscript)
©2023 Gary Beck
All rights reserved
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 35 poetry collections, 14 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 collection of essays and 7 books of plays. Gary lives in New York City.
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