Holiday II
Detonations echo
across the city.
Security guards
are extra vigilant.
But the people are calm,
not worried about terror
as they briefly forget
ongoing concerns
in the annual display
on Independence day,
the fireworks show.
Digital Control
I sit at my desk,
another worker
in the Information Age,
and stare at my inbox
that conspires to prevent me
from returning to my screen,
by overwhelming me with paperwork.
Diminishing Garments
The shorts get shorter,
tighter.
The tops get smaller,
snugger,
revealing more female flesh,
thighs, breasts, bellies,
then most girlie magazines
yet it doesn’t seem to provoke
public assault
in tolerant America,
and only Muslims are outraged
by the wanton
display
of women’s
bodies.
Comparative Assessment
We look at the rich
envious
of what they possess,
all they enjoy
and we easily forget
while they’re on their super yachts,
we have a comfortable apartment,
our children go to good schools,
we have enough to eat,
the occasional treat
a two week vacation
somewhere nice.
Yet across most of the world
poverty
rules,
hunger, diseases, war,
ravages the people,
many of whom are happy
making do with little,
but appreciating
whatever they have,
until disaster strikes
and there are few resources,
or none
to ease infliction
and the daily suffering
restricts the search
for daily bread.
Hunger, disease, violence,
the separation
between joy and sorrow
accepted by millions,
neglected by millions,
so many self-absorbed
acquiring comforts,
indifferent,
too busy,
too removed
from means of sharing
abundance
with the needy world,
dreaming of the lottery,
not realizing
after taxes
there’s barely enough
to buy a Warhol.
So we trudge the worn path
that our
forbears trod,
many of us living better
than anyone
before,
unfortunately
never
enough
to satisfy our primal greed.
Weather Vane
Winter is almost over,
lashing out
with storm, snow, sleet,
reluctant to depart
and let us forget
that harsh climes
are here to stay.
From now on
brief summer
will hasten away,
ushering in
cold winds
to chill our bones.
Gary Beck
