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Displays
With religion, terror, and politics as closely related as ever, is it possible to live in our world without fear? With the obvious threat of extremists willing to kill for their god, we also endure domestic terrorism driven by similar motives, and the politicians who seek to use it all to their advantage for power. Poet Gary Beck explores many of the practical, emotional, and irrational responses to acts of terror with Displays, a collection of poetry that honestly examines the state of human reaction.
140 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2015
About the author
Gary Beck
114 books35 followersGary 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 28 poetry collections, 11 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 collection of essays and 2 books of plays. Published poetry books include: Dawn in Cities, Assault on Nature, Songs of a Clerk, Civilized Ways, Displays, Perceptions, Fault Lines, Tremors, Perturbations, Rude Awakenings, The Remission of Order, Contusions and Desperate Seeker (Winter Goose Publishing. Forthcoming: Learning Curve and Ignition Point). Earth Links, Too Harsh For Pastels, Severance, Redemption Value, Fractional Disorder and Disruptions (Cyberwit Publishing). His novels include Extreme Change (Winter Goose Publishing). and Wavelength (Cyberwit Publishing). His short story collections include: A Glimpse of Youth (Sweatshoppe Publications). Now I Accuse and other stories (Winter Goose Publishing) and Dogs Don’t Send Flowers and other stories (Wordcatcher Publishing). Collected Essays of Gary Beck (Cyberwit Publishing). The Big Match and other one act plays (Wordcatcher Publishing). Collected Plays of Gary Beck Volume 1 and Plays of Aristophanes translated, then directed by Gary Beck (Cyberwit Publishing). Gary lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 3, 2016
Star counts are personal, reflecting the background and biases of the reviewer, so as always, do not let my star count override your judgement of content. More on the stars, counting, and my rating challenges later. Let’s get to the interesting stuff: Beck’s work.
There are some one hundred and six poems here. In the very second piece Beck’s social commentary rings clear, in The Coincidence of Birth, which begins thus: “I spent too much time in slums /to be deluded by mansions, /where offspring of privilege /protected from rude streets /get sustaining nutrition...” Again in Allocation of Resources, the question of the usefulness of prisons is clearly put forth.
How the substance of which a building is made alters the life of workers inside them is nicely put in Material Questions (a nice pun, that.)
For a fine example of devastating description turn to Tenement Trap. While social commentary, it pulls the reader into the intended experience. This is a favourite here. And the very next poem, Mexican Vision, explores the life of a migrant worker’s wife.
Sly Bigotry cleverly explores the subtle social biases against blacks. It’s impossible to capture this poem in a small quote.
As a general rule, look up (I do) anything you’re not absolutely sure you understand. This particularly applies to Sub where some nautical slang and practices are key to the piece, which includes this: “we did the job,/ sat out the depth charges /and got home again to base, /racks empty, broom high.” If you want a terse first person wartime submarine experience, turn to this poem.
For a nice extended metaphor, turn to Escape, which begins: “If I were a fish /wouldn’t like to be American.” This is a fun piece, with its social commentary smoothly integrated into the human condition.
A favourite that clearly includes social commentary is Majorca, where the then-shocking George Sand and Chopin are contrasted with today’s far laxer mores.
For a startling extended metaphor, turn to Next Time, Hurry. No spoilers here, and there’s no way you can guess what this poem is about. Another favourite.
For a tale told from the point of view of the bull, turn to Toro. For the human condition again, turn to Mystery.
If you’re scrolling for the tiny carps, they are few. Possibly a typo or an extra word. In short, nothing important.
If you ever wondered what it’s like to be a caged animal, turn to Central Park Zoo. This fine longer poem cannot be hinted at in a short quote; buy the book and turn to this page.
For a complex personal situation in a short poem, turn to Do You Promise?
For an enigma that builds cleverly, turn to Laughing Town. For some reason, the first person can’t quite get what is wanted. Since we’ve all been there, and perhaps by self-limitation, this poem is imho universal.
For a final surprise, turn to Epitaph.
Now for the star count. My personal guidelines, when doing any review, are as follows: five stars means, roughly equal to best in genre. Rarely given. Four stars means, extremely good. Three stars means, definitely recommendable. I am a tough reviewer. I try to be consistent. This large collection contains enough favourites to, imho, easily warrant four stars. Highly recommended.
There are some one hundred and six poems here. In the very second piece Beck’s social commentary rings clear, in The Coincidence of Birth, which begins thus: “I spent too much time in slums /to be deluded by mansions, /where offspring of privilege /protected from rude streets /get sustaining nutrition...” Again in Allocation of Resources, the question of the usefulness of prisons is clearly put forth.
How the substance of which a building is made alters the life of workers inside them is nicely put in Material Questions (a nice pun, that.)
For a fine example of devastating description turn to Tenement Trap. While social commentary, it pulls the reader into the intended experience. This is a favourite here. And the very next poem, Mexican Vision, explores the life of a migrant worker’s wife.
Sly Bigotry cleverly explores the subtle social biases against blacks. It’s impossible to capture this poem in a small quote.
As a general rule, look up (I do) anything you’re not absolutely sure you understand. This particularly applies to Sub where some nautical slang and practices are key to the piece, which includes this: “we did the job,/ sat out the depth charges /and got home again to base, /racks empty, broom high.” If you want a terse first person wartime submarine experience, turn to this poem.
For a nice extended metaphor, turn to Escape, which begins: “If I were a fish /wouldn’t like to be American.” This is a fun piece, with its social commentary smoothly integrated into the human condition.
A favourite that clearly includes social commentary is Majorca, where the then-shocking George Sand and Chopin are contrasted with today’s far laxer mores.
For a startling extended metaphor, turn to Next Time, Hurry. No spoilers here, and there’s no way you can guess what this poem is about. Another favourite.
For a tale told from the point of view of the bull, turn to Toro. For the human condition again, turn to Mystery.
If you’re scrolling for the tiny carps, they are few. Possibly a typo or an extra word. In short, nothing important.
If you ever wondered what it’s like to be a caged animal, turn to Central Park Zoo. This fine longer poem cannot be hinted at in a short quote; buy the book and turn to this page.
For a complex personal situation in a short poem, turn to Do You Promise?
For an enigma that builds cleverly, turn to Laughing Town. For some reason, the first person can’t quite get what is wanted. Since we’ve all been there, and perhaps by self-limitation, this poem is imho universal.
For a final surprise, turn to Epitaph.
Now for the star count. My personal guidelines, when doing any review, are as follows: five stars means, roughly equal to best in genre. Rarely given. Four stars means, extremely good. Three stars means, definitely recommendable. I am a tough reviewer. I try to be consistent. This large collection contains enough favourites to, imho, easily warrant four stars. Highly recommended.
January 18, 2016
Gary Beck is a poet who is not afraid to take risks in his work by tackling the big issues such as politics, terrorism and corruption head-on. His poetry is cutting edge and timely, showing us, through these profound pieces, that society has become corrupt, and how the masses are manipulated through mind control by the fear that terrorism instills. His poems are frank and brutally honest.
In Contagion, he tells us that terrorism is responsible for “the fracturing of stability in organized society by “dedicated haters who have opted to destroy rather than build” and that terrorism “disrupts more than tornado, [and] earthquake which at least remind us we are vulnerable to nature.” It tears apart the fabric of our society, and rather than taking advantage of the cultural diversity of our society, we are instead alienated from each other because of it. In E Pluribus, he observes that “corruption outweighed idealism” and in Decline and….. he discusses how “the spirit that put men on the moon has departed, leaving uncertainty” and how an “assault of terror enhanced our economic doubts.” As a result, we have lost our ideology.
But this collection of poems is more than simply a statement of the impact of terrorism in our world; it is also a call to action to do something about it. He warns us, in Withdrawn that “inertia is an erosive seeping purpose from the will, and in One World, that “as the world grows smaller, dimmer, more hostile to survival, we don’t have a long term plan to insure existence of a destructive species risking redemption.” With keen insight in his piece Terror, he predicts that “World War III is underway” and that, united, we must “immediately invite nations that prize freedom to join us in resisting the enemies of our civilization.” Before terrorism became national headlines, we had become too complacent, but 9/11 was the one event “that shocked us out of complacency” (One If by Land). And now, “acts of extreme violence are becoming commonplace making many of us inured to once unacceptable horrors.” (Allocation of Resources).
His title piece, Displays really pulls it all together. In this piece, Beck acknowledges that we live in a world of instant information, and information overload. But the potential benefit of that has been eclipsed by those hungry for negative attention: “Now the visual displays of our varied iniquities have not modified behavior, merely made some of us pathologically eager to flaunt evil for an audience.
Beck shows us that he is the quintessential topical poet. He writes satirical pieces, prosaic pieces (Pre-Dawn Slum) and poems laden with visual imagery and strong metaphors. Considering all that is happening in the world today, a poet such as this, who reaches beyond the mundane, is one whose importance cannot be overstated.
In Contagion, he tells us that terrorism is responsible for “the fracturing of stability in organized society by “dedicated haters who have opted to destroy rather than build” and that terrorism “disrupts more than tornado, [and] earthquake which at least remind us we are vulnerable to nature.” It tears apart the fabric of our society, and rather than taking advantage of the cultural diversity of our society, we are instead alienated from each other because of it. In E Pluribus, he observes that “corruption outweighed idealism” and in Decline and….. he discusses how “the spirit that put men on the moon has departed, leaving uncertainty” and how an “assault of terror enhanced our economic doubts.” As a result, we have lost our ideology.
But this collection of poems is more than simply a statement of the impact of terrorism in our world; it is also a call to action to do something about it. He warns us, in Withdrawn that “inertia is an erosive seeping purpose from the will, and in One World, that “as the world grows smaller, dimmer, more hostile to survival, we don’t have a long term plan to insure existence of a destructive species risking redemption.” With keen insight in his piece Terror, he predicts that “World War III is underway” and that, united, we must “immediately invite nations that prize freedom to join us in resisting the enemies of our civilization.” Before terrorism became national headlines, we had become too complacent, but 9/11 was the one event “that shocked us out of complacency” (One If by Land). And now, “acts of extreme violence are becoming commonplace making many of us inured to once unacceptable horrors.” (Allocation of Resources).
His title piece, Displays really pulls it all together. In this piece, Beck acknowledges that we live in a world of instant information, and information overload. But the potential benefit of that has been eclipsed by those hungry for negative attention: “Now the visual displays of our varied iniquities have not modified behavior, merely made some of us pathologically eager to flaunt evil for an audience.
Beck shows us that he is the quintessential topical poet. He writes satirical pieces, prosaic pieces (Pre-Dawn Slum) and poems laden with visual imagery and strong metaphors. Considering all that is happening in the world today, a poet such as this, who reaches beyond the mundane, is one whose importance cannot be overstated.
July 7, 2016
Displays, a collection of poetry by Gary Beck, does not begin lightly, with a poem detailing the events of 9/11.
The style of these poems is not too fancy that you cannot enjoy them, although they often need to be read several times because these are poems with meaning that require reading between the lines and are bold I think. Allocation of resources tells us
‘As our prisons grow more populous
than some of the world’s nations,
we should consider the lost resource
of men idly sitting in their cells
serving unproductive sentences
who might be enlisted
with appropriate protections
for our society,
for public service,
a chance for redemption’
This seems to be poetry mainly focusing on Iraq, war, America, France, workers, tenements, bull fighting, privilege, ‘I sit on my terrace in safety
with doves and finches for company,
still protected by my government,
still able to dream tomorrows’
and I think shows up a mirror to the world and its faults as a whole. There’s a lot to reflect on in these poems. It feels like a book with purpose. There are poems, such as Newton and How to Know the Birds (an Introduction to Bird Recognition) which are humorous and give some light relief.
My one criticism would probably be that because of the amount of poems, take each poem one at a time and appreciate it. This is also I feel heavy with some poems and yet light on others, especially towards the end of displays. It feels like more trivial poems are left to make up the rest of the collection, whereas those that are political make up much of the beginning and middle. Giving this an odd balance.
Really this is a book of two halves. The first half is a stirring speech of poems on our culture and world and the second more wistful and fun.
Some of the poems could have been written as one instead of separately, otherwise it feels like this stalls and repeats itself at times but for its theme, perspective, and social commentary displays is a book well worth the money, for reading and sharing.
The style of these poems is not too fancy that you cannot enjoy them, although they often need to be read several times because these are poems with meaning that require reading between the lines and are bold I think. Allocation of resources tells us
‘As our prisons grow more populous
than some of the world’s nations,
we should consider the lost resource
of men idly sitting in their cells
serving unproductive sentences
who might be enlisted
with appropriate protections
for our society,
for public service,
a chance for redemption’
This seems to be poetry mainly focusing on Iraq, war, America, France, workers, tenements, bull fighting, privilege, ‘I sit on my terrace in safety
with doves and finches for company,
still protected by my government,
still able to dream tomorrows’
and I think shows up a mirror to the world and its faults as a whole. There’s a lot to reflect on in these poems. It feels like a book with purpose. There are poems, such as Newton and How to Know the Birds (an Introduction to Bird Recognition) which are humorous and give some light relief.
My one criticism would probably be that because of the amount of poems, take each poem one at a time and appreciate it. This is also I feel heavy with some poems and yet light on others, especially towards the end of displays. It feels like more trivial poems are left to make up the rest of the collection, whereas those that are political make up much of the beginning and middle. Giving this an odd balance.
Really this is a book of two halves. The first half is a stirring speech of poems on our culture and world and the second more wistful and fun.
Some of the poems could have been written as one instead of separately, otherwise it feels like this stalls and repeats itself at times but for its theme, perspective, and social commentary displays is a book well worth the money, for reading and sharing.
February 1, 2016
Gary Beck's "Displays" is an important work of poetry in contemporary times of political, cultural, and social chaos that reflects eloquent abstractions and details of complex problems from a clear and insightful vantage point. One cannot escape the authenticity of Beck's vision in capturing the minute details of the human condition that continue to worsen. His ability to frame different scenarios in single poetic displays is akin to pieces of art.
Beck is a poet of intellectual capacity and dynamic poetic flair who skillfully combines both with an objective compassion reminiscent of a man standing...watching a flight of birds in the distance...arrested by the beauty yet knowing full-well that he cannot join in the flight nor experience the sky like them but sage-like in his belief that his position affords him equal depth of diverse experiences.
The reader will find dark sarcasm in "Poetry 2005" where Beck mocks the contemporary literary scene, which is devoid of quality but overabundant with quantity:
"The guardians of poetry,
mostly self appointed,
produce polished products
that make their universities proud..."
The reader similarly cannot miss the subtle hint of romanticism tucked in "Distances."
Beck's discussions (in his poems) include subjects of poverty, war, 9/11, as well as environmental issues such as in the poem, "Escape…"
"If I were a fish
I wouldn't like to be American.
Polluters and anglers
would take years off my life..."
While reading "Displays" my mind wanders in a hundred different directions and I know I am pushed to question everything that is acceptable, everything we have become numb to, and no longer see.
Definitely worthwhile and an enjoyable read; an intellectual and poetic treat.
Dr. Sana Rafiq-Mitchell, Ed.D.
Poet, Editor & Leadership Consultant
www.theneglectedratio.com
Beck is a poet of intellectual capacity and dynamic poetic flair who skillfully combines both with an objective compassion reminiscent of a man standing...watching a flight of birds in the distance...arrested by the beauty yet knowing full-well that he cannot join in the flight nor experience the sky like them but sage-like in his belief that his position affords him equal depth of diverse experiences.
The reader will find dark sarcasm in "Poetry 2005" where Beck mocks the contemporary literary scene, which is devoid of quality but overabundant with quantity:
"The guardians of poetry,
mostly self appointed,
produce polished products
that make their universities proud..."
The reader similarly cannot miss the subtle hint of romanticism tucked in "Distances."
Beck's discussions (in his poems) include subjects of poverty, war, 9/11, as well as environmental issues such as in the poem, "Escape…"
"If I were a fish
I wouldn't like to be American.
Polluters and anglers
would take years off my life..."
While reading "Displays" my mind wanders in a hundred different directions and I know I am pushed to question everything that is acceptable, everything we have become numb to, and no longer see.
Definitely worthwhile and an enjoyable read; an intellectual and poetic treat.
Dr. Sana Rafiq-Mitchell, Ed.D.
Poet, Editor & Leadership Consultant
www.theneglectedratio.com
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews