Hi Godfrey,

What a thoughtful review. It’s always gratifying to me when someone recognizes that issues are a vital part of poetry, neglected by so many. I appreciate your perceptions 

And cogent comments. Thanks.

Best regards, Gary

“Discover,” by Gary Beck is watching the world change and at the same time it stays the same. Discover the difference of education urban or rural or radicals quoting Martin Luther King. And for the generations all the more head strong we are in the same whirlwind as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Lucky for us we watched the march to madness while others woke up in it and it’s all they know.  

 

“People dog walking  

sitting on the grass, eating, reading, texting, 

comfortable and relaxed,  

as if it’s not America ravaged by Covid-19, 

angrily divided by political factions 

that prefer collapse  

to compromise. 

(The Park) 

 

“The life of the city 

Relies on 

Continuation 

No matter who dies 

things will go on, 

as long as the wheels 

that make things run 

keep turning.”  

(Continuation) 

 

Gary and I chatted a few times during covid always a quip and a contribution to my publication. At the time and since then I’d he was plain spoken and bold with his words. I looked at it as if he was telling the American story that many dictators/governors wanted to bury. Meanwhile we still had to find a way to live.  

 

“After showing I.D., 

insurance card, I’m busy filling out forms; 

name, address, age, 

a zillion health questions, 

page after page 

of personal info, 

race, creed… 

Well not creed. 

There are still some limits to hospital intrusions, 

As long as you can pay.” 

(Clinic) 

   

“The Governor of Texas  

forbidding censorship, signed a bill, banning 

social media platforms 

from removing posts because of political views.  

Under the new rules  

Facebook and Twitter  

can’t remove or moderate  

a users post.  

Private citizens can sue 

social media companies for violating the law 

as long as they live in Texas.  

Yahoo” 

(The Eyes of Texas…) 

 

“Corporate America 

sits in their boardrooms 

determining policies 

to increase their profits, 

a consistent process  

that overshadows 

many other concerns. 

The recent initiative  

to increase taxes 

that actually aren’t paid 

will easily be deflected 

by indentured legislators  

eager to do the bidding 

of remote masters, 

rewarding obedience 

with position, power, comforts, 

as the growing separation 

between haves and have nots 

is carefully engineered 

preserving the privileged, 

deaccesing the people.”  

(National Interests)  

 

The pandemic wasn’t the only thing going worldwide. Protests, conflicts and all eyes on U.S. 

 

“My stubborn son 

refused to listen to me.  

‘Don’t worry, Papa. 

The Americans promised  

to take us with them  

When they leave’. 

My headstrong daughter  

Refused to listen to me: 

‘Don’t worry, Papa, 

I’ll be alright  

Working for the Americans. 

They’ll be here for a long time 

And it’s a great opportunity 

for me to have a career 

as a translator. 

The Americans promised  

To take us with them 

if they left. 

Surely we can trust them  

Not to abandon us.” 

Ignored 

 

These are some that reached out to me as a poet. If you’re a lover of poetry and history there is much to discover before your neighborhood library decides to ban it. It is a roller coaster of moods as the world is consuming itself we still have to worry about the small things that become large because of what we don’t know any won’t ever be told in our lifetimes. Keep this on your bookshelf like a holy book because it is as I said before the more things change the more they stay the same.  

 

Godfrey Logan