Gary Beck

Urban Spring


The park is bursting
with all kindsa things,
people, dogs, birds,
kids swinging like mad
on playground apparatus.
Look. There go two squirrels,
faster than heck.
I hope he catches her.

Gary Beck's poetry and fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines.  His chapbook "Remembrance"
was published by Origami Press and "The Conquest of Somalia" was published by Cervena Barva Press.  A
collection of his poetry "Days of Destruction" is being published by Skive Press.  His plays and translations of
Moliere, Aristophanes, and Sophocles have been produced Off-Broadway.  "The Conquest of Somalia" can be
found at www.cervenabarvapress.com

Hitchhiking North

They left me at a crossroads
and turned their jammed-crammed
station wagon full of kiddies
to seek a rest stop.
I stepped off the road to piss,
heard a stream, followed a sound,
found a fantasy pool,
clear, clean, icy cool,
waiting for a naked swimmer.
I plunged into renewal,
Blue Jay screamed: Thief. Thief,
although I stole nothing.
Afterwards, dressed, still shivering,
I walked the road, new born,
from water's pure deliverance.