Departure II
I sit by the bedside
of my beloved
watching the ravished shell
barely respirating
as I hope with all my soul
her suffering will end
and she will soon be gone
I know not where,
the only consolation
she will soon be rescued
from the world of pain.
One Day At A Time
Winter is almost here.
The wind blows colder.
It’s difficult to get out.
I don’t have a good coat
so I put on many layers
and I’m still cold.
The sidewalks are slippery,
at least for me
and I have trouble walking.
My social worker keeps promising
I’ll get a home care aide,
but I’ve been waiting a long time.
Meanwhile I’ve got to shop
if I want to eat,
no matter what problems.
I don’t have much choice.
I’ll manage somehow
as long as I can.
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, essays and plays have appeared in hundreds of literary magazines. His traditionally published books include 45 poetry collections, 18 novels, 4 short story collections, 2 collections of essays and 8 books of plays and 16 poetry chapbooks. Gary lives in New York City.
