Junkyard Beat Poetry Volumes 1 - 4

This four volume book provides beat poetry relating to news events ("Current Distractions") with themes based on actual events that took place from August to December 2021. These include overwork, the collapse of Afghanistan, police brutality, environmental destruction and imbalance, death by drones, references to Japanese and Chinese business and political practices, Mars Rover (technology), 9/11, Confederate Monument Removals, British politics and Boris Johnson, Facebook renaming and rebranding, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump among many other issues. In volume 2, ("Moral Residue") 50 themes were chosen including travel, technology, health, culture, biology, overpopulation, movie stars, music, nationalism, and many others. In volume 3, ("Tin-Plated Poetic Prophecies") I content that it is important to flip ahead in the script of life to better glimpse what can be- or will be-unfolding before us. While poetry has been used to help us recollect, gain perspective, deepen our empathy, and transcend cultural norms, this collection of poetry provides a means of telescoping into the future on a myriad of themes, events, and problems that society has had to contend with. With my first poem, I point out the fiction of money and of future economic worries as we continually lurch from bond market collapse to real estate bubbles, foreign currency exchange imbalances, deficits, and how we should be counting the real currency in our very experiences and memories. This is what should be truly valued. In this volume, I have also written about issues relating to educational ennui, anti-aging medication, overwork, Prince Harry's Memoirs, loneliness, banned images, and on to memory loss, bots, and much more; essentially, there is something for everyone. In volume 4 ("Always Side Eyes with You--Comedy Poetry") I fold comedy into the poetry, as we all deserve a good laugh. Indeed, in order to survive, we desperately need to laugh. So, I poke and wag my finger at birthday roastings, Chinese astrology, glorifying bad politicians, back-hand compliments, gas-lighting retorting to trolls, red herrings, passing the blame, learning how to praise, critiquing a prima donna, positive ego-boosting accusations, and other "side-eyed" commentary. Dozens of books and poets are referenced and sourced with various images, words, concepts, ideas, and even perspectives being recycled-blow-torched, even welded-onto these new themes and poems. In short, nothing is wasted.