"To bring the poem into the world / is to bring the world into the poem."

Sunday, March 11, 2012

MIKE BERGER

WHAT IS (PART OF) YOUR GREAT RECESSION EXPERIENCE?

I have agonized and dipped heavily into my savings to keep my kids from starving.


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HOW HAS YOUR GREAT RECESSION EXPERIENCE AFFECTED YOUR POETRY?

It has definitely cast dark shadows on my work.


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PLEASE SHARE A POEM(S) REFLECTING YOUR GREAT RECESSION EXPERIENCE:

Charade

Emasculating; Bob’s self-worth went
south with the failing economy. He lost
the spark in his eyes. He hid behind a
pasted on smile.

Caught in the cutbacks at the auto plant,
out of work for a year. Unemployment finally
ran out.

Now it was hot dogs instead of prime rib.
Katie suffered; her lifestyle had come to
a crashing halt. She no longer knew the
husband she married..

Bill collectors began haunting them and the
charges on their credit card grew out of sight.
In desperation, Bob took a job as the night
manager of a hamburger joint.

Katie turned for solace and comfort to a colleague.
He was kind and understanding. She soon was
taking comfort in his bed. The magic she knew
with Bob was gone so she lived out a charade.
The smell of hamburger grease on her husband
turned her stomach but she would stick with him
for the kids.



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ABOUT THE POET:

Mike Berger is an MFA, PhD. He is retired and writes poetry and short stories full time. He has been writing poetry for less than two years. His work appears in seventy-one journals. He has published two books of short stories and seven poetry chapbooks. He is a member of The Academy of American Poets.




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