Demented Land

by Gary Beck / July 1st, 2018

Aliens cross our borders
not all seeking better lives,
some intent on crime, terror,
yet we don’t regulate the flow
to distinguish friend from foe.
Drugs pervade our country
polluting streets, homes, schools
with fruits of toxic wealth
corrupting the system
that no longer protects us.
Our leaders tell us what they’ll do
if only we elect them,
yet nothing changes
for those who lost homes, jobs,
callously abandoned
by the glib servants
of the privileged few.

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 39 poetry collections, 14 novels, 4 short story collections, 1 collection of essays and 7 books of plays. Gary lives in New York City. Read other articles by Gary.

This article was posted on Sunday, July 1st, 2018 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.