thieves

by Jay Sizemore

20 years of experience in retail security led to these observations about why people choose to steal. Within this collection of poems resides tales of desperation, a glimpse at the underbelly of American life, tales of drug abuse, solitude, and the struggle for survival in a world dominated by the almighty dollar. Sizemore attempts to capture the hidden reality of the human condition with these pieces, not shying from the truth, but bringing it out screaming, into the light.

62 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2019

Reviews

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollercoaster in the secret life of a store detective

My first ever thought about Jay Sizemore as a poet and writer was 'What an asshole' after starting to read 'SCOWL' an epic poem I have since read in full with an open mind and come to appreciate.

I bought 'Thieves' on the back of reading his poetry online, he posts on Medium and shares on Facebook. I can honestly say it was well worth it.

These poems of tales told from a Shop store detective are addictive, appealing, horrifying and saddening. Written with great observation skills and a priceless poetic touch.

Some lines just jumped me...

From 'How to catch a thief'

'the imperceptible deviations of standard social cues,
the twitches, the erratic and unnatural
ways a body balances itself
on the tightrope of lust,'

From 'Shell Game'

'a display meant for me,
meant to pull at the instinctual strings
of my inherent humanity,
that part of the self that cringes
at the mere thought of suffering.'

From 'Dances with Death'

'and she sat out there in the parking lot
baking like a human lasagna
for three days
before anyone seemed to notice.'

From 'Shoplifters Stories'

'and a flame-scorched spoon,
handle bent and well-worn
to fit her thin, skeletal finger
like a wedding band from Death.'

'as if standing still grants the vultures a pass
to start feeding on their carrion flesh.'

Then whole poem just grabbed me and screamed 'THIS IS AWESOME' tell him.

'20 years' after reading it, I felt compelled to message exactly that. I think I must be a scary kind of reader for a living poet to know.

Then again on finding myself in true belly laughter at ' Stranger Things'

I would recommend this book in a heartbeat or less. Poetry is a fine gift, an uplift for the soul. Jay has a remarkable touch and it has been a pleasure to read him.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reality is rarely pretty

Thieves is a brilliant commentary on shoplifting and human desperation. Sizemore’s poetry brings raw truth to the surface with beautiful turns of phrase, emotional imagery, and relatable scenes of life. A quick read and very memorable.