Blunt Force

by Gary Beck

Forceful and pacy, Blunt Force attacks large, complex issues, growing in anger and momentum as it progresses. In his new work, Gary Beck takes aim at capitalist greed, corporate ruthlessness, and the decay of the American dream. His anger at the morality and hypocrisy of war, simmers under the surface of his poetry, the broken system it perpetuates and the abandonment of the American people by their leaders. Clear and punchy, it is not without a more thoughtful look at the struggles of Nature against man, a war of another kind. Blunt Force is one man’s protest and makes for a compelling read

108 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2018

About the author

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 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.

Reviews

[Suzanna Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to read Gary Beck’s words. Blunt Force is no different. This poetry collection explores the military, homelessness, and other crises that people deal with on a regular basis.

The poem “Combat Zone” is a perfect example of what it means to be a soldier and return to home, only to be reminded of the battlefield: “Bursts of fire, / bodies duck for cover, / hug the earth / hope they don’t get hit, / time seems to stop / until the gunshots end / and they resume play / in a Bronx park.” The turn of the final two lines draws the reader and the speaker into the present environment, and how quickly PTSD can flash back.

In “Rain Delay,” the two stanzas mirror each other, as one waits for the rain to stop so “…I can go to the park / for a concert” and in the second stanza, “Someone else / sits indoors, / tense, / frustrated, / hoping / for / the / rain / to start, / so he can save his crop / from drought.”

Protest is a common theme with the original “Protest” and eight more numbered poems throughout the collection. In “Protest IX,” the speaker is part of the group that sets up tents; however, “but the wealthy mayor / ordered tents taken down / so we’d melt away / with the first snow, / stop annoying / the servants of privilege, / yet some of us stayed / despite the coming freeze / hoping Americans / might remember Valley Forge.”