G Beckman

Propaganda

[gbeckla]

Bones

Today this body looks good.Eugene taught me “goatee is good”in Alpha-Russian, and pulling a button off this short-sleeved shirt showed him, yeah, I can grow hair there, too – but no rocks call, or sky, or ocean,no words in waves, no windy voice ofGod. My bones don’t sing to me.I eat myself day after day,mate myself night after night,make little puppets out of skin –as the earth, musical home…

[gbeckla]

Sailing to Turkiye, or Egypt, or Port Canaveral

In early July 2026, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events for an LGBTQ+ Mediterranean cruise, faced back-to-back port denials from the governments of Turkiye and Egypt. Turkish officials declared the passengers “incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values.” Egypt offered no explanation. This piece is my response. Sailing to Turkiye, or Egypt, or Port…

[gbeckla]

Learning to Spell

Spirit says: “Your words create your world. Shoot for the stars.”I say: “I’m 17 again...only this time, this time!I’ll go straight to the SavOn(remember those?)and buy hair-clippers to shave my back and chest and arms(I can handle the chest and armsbut I’ll have to find someone todo the back – maybe Grammy, she always seemed to knowwhat direction I was headed). I’ll work out and run with my…

[gbeckla]

The Way To Become Unjealous

Think of your favorite porn star,the one with the big pecs and fabuloussmile (you know the one),wiping his ass after taking a shit.Way more than four squares,more like forty becauseit was a messy morning,what with the viagara and laxatives.Think of him getting off the toiletand jumping into the shower,frustrated, behind schedule,because it’s just easier to let thewater wash all that shit…

[gbeckla]

Apartment

Shadowed carpet, staineddark baseboards hiding behind stacked silent pages, dusty lamplight warms marred paintand softens the wizened cat. * More Experiments in Form HERE.

[gbeckla]

Mind

It’s exhausting preparing for every future.When you’re nearing 60, escaping sounds good.A quantum jump, not the other kind.They tell me not to think about it, butI keep hoping I wake up in another life so relieved there are tears and a huge smile, reset. It’s happened before. I was being convictedof a crime I didn’t commit. Then I woke up!I need it to happen again.Maybe it will again.It’s…

[gbeckla]

Muse

Before landranged his sea-storied heart,ensnared dancing feet with steadyanthems and fence-post church: Kaliope conjured love with spells,doused promise with heroic truth –onward, always onward,worshipped and feared –never sure, never more alive. *

[gbeckla]

Acaustic

Howare we spottedrubes, mediocre moles,rheumatics, lazy-eyes, toyearn advance rebelstrike against earth’s gross design,this festered indignity, whenyou, unaware,lay on a couch,eye your stunningsex, and smile? (For My Policeman) *

[gbeckla]

Maker

He’s not mad, your maker.Not angry in the least.This was all predicted,every bit expected –the rebellion, the fall,temptation, surrender –until finally, finally, you took his handand more. *

[gbeckla]

Letters

They put a pencil in your hand, a big fat onemade for little fingers to copy outletters drawn around the edges of theceiling.They look pretty, so you draw them againand again, over and over, pages and pages of letters,and get awards for how perfectly theyfit together. Everyone is happy.You are happy. All those letters copied over and over again –everything should be that beautiful –copied until…

[gbeckla]

Ashley B on ICE as Slave Patrols

My takeaway: “Gestapo” says over-there; “Slave Patrol” says oh, no, right here, right now, just like it’s always been.

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[gbeckla]

Listen. Please. It's important.

[gbeckla]

Precious

Sarah Everhart sat on the floor of the produce section peeling an orange. She recognized the little girl who ran up to her, tears soaking her puffed face. “My momma won’t get up,” the little girl blubbered. She could barely breathe. Sarah shrugged as she dropped torn pieces of orange skin. Wailing and prayers rose from frozen foods to toilet paper. Ron Jackson gripped his wife Loretta’s hand…

[gbeckla]

Two Dramatic Poems

We're in it now. Walkers and wipes from here till the end. People will say "How wonderful they take care of each other." People will say "They have each other." Smiles will barely mask pity as I become your good deed. I don't think I'll care about good wishes. I'll be grateful for you, I hope, in-between bouts of awareness. You'll love me until I die, and then love me more until you smile for…

[gbeckla]

Splinter. It's out.

Small, stealthy stories of uncommon dimension. Available at Lulu. Distribution to follow.

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[gbeckla]

You know I like football

“Dude, like I don’t think his balls ever dropped. I mean, listen. I can’t tell if it’s a dude.” Scott sat in the bean-bag looking at my Air Supply album. It was summer-hot outside so his socks and shirt were off but the room was cool with the curtains closed. Two Less Lonely People played. “My dad says it’s not natural, two guys singing like that. Said they look like fruitcakes.” Scott pointed…

[gbeckla]

Goin' to Hell

Little Johnny sat in the principal’s office quiet as a churchmouse as Miss Clair told the story again. “I just don’t know what came over him, Principal Davis. He was playing with Andrew and Malachi and suddenly he slapped Andrew upside the head and pushed a crayon up Thad’s nose. Thank goodness the crayon was already broken or there’s no telling what could’ve happened!” Johnny heard his father…