I agree, that headline isn’t as enticing as romancing the bone…but here we are with what is technically the second February release from Dumpster Fire Press….

I first started to hate S.A. Gerber when we first encountered one another’s work on Mad Swirl’s Virtual Open MIC during the pandemic.

Although a hell of poet, he seemed like he was starting to go out of his mind and I tried like hell to avoid him on social media but being a magnet of the weird, I couldn’t…because the universe itself is more powerful than any of us via quantum probabilities and all that jazz.

So what can you do but talk to the guy, acknowledge, and actually listen to what he has to say… poetically and philosophically (as if there’s a difference).

I almost hope he can forgive me for being a candid asshole but Gerber (it seems so disrespectful to refer to someone you consider as friend by their last name but I’m referring to the author…ah, double-edged sword) has lived quite the life and seen a lot. We’re talking almost being on the cusp of radical shift toward utopia only to have it ripped away the simulation existence leading us into the gradual apocalypse veiled in denial…but that’s cool…’cause this man has somethings to say.

“Apocalypse” doesn’t mean end of the world either. It essentially means a time of change. So, while we are living in the “end times” (end of a time) I implore you to read and take into consideration these word spasms…just in case our species survives.

I know “Gerb” would call “bullshit” on my mini-rant of being apprehensive about our friendship and he’d be right.

But I’m an asshole. A cynical asshole.

And that’s why we work well together.

And to top it all off Shane Allison provided some great cover art, an poet and artist who has contributed frequently to VOICES FROM THE FIRE and will be featured prominently in the forthcoming anthology BEDROOM ANATOMY LESSONS.

I HATE—

Unaware drivers—

Children who can speak foreign language—

Cruelty to animals—

Censorship—

Braggarts—

Liars—

People who say, “It’s G-d’s will”—

Kids with cell phones—

Talkers in any theatre—

Loud people in restaurants—

Anyone who takes Stephen King seriously—

Machines that talk to me—

Rosie O’Donnel—

Rush Limbaugh—

Roseanne Whatever—

Gang related graffiti—

Loud cars—

Beauty pageants—

Wind—

Waiting in any line—

Any injustice—

Anyone either too “Left’, or too ‘Right’—

People who pretend to listen.

Ok, so hate is a strong word, but I bet anyone could easily draft such a list.

Do it! Don’t hate yourself for it. What did the ‘Bard of Hibbing’ once say;

“Don’t hate anything at all except hatred.”*

Obviously, I don’t agree.

*B. Dylan-1965

Bunk

(Something of a Rant)

Spiritualists…seers,

fortune tellers…palm readers.

clairvoyants…channelers,

whisperers…mediums…

are all

full of

bull-f—k!

Annoying enough

when they

make claims,

but actually

taking money

from pathetically,

vulnerable people

is reprehensible!

They posses

the credibility

and ethics,

of those

whom claim

g-d speaks

to them!

Ancient times

called for

painful blinding

to them

whom would

misuse prophesy.

An eye

for an

eye, so

to speak.

Too severe

for our

enlightened times?

At least

stay off 

the radio

when I

am trying

to sleep!

Cuts

(Masters of War)

Support Our Troops!

Sent there on a lie—

Ill equipped—

Ill fed—

Ill prepared.

Kept them past their tours—

Fighting insurgents—

Fighting suicide-bombers—

Fighting in vain!

Budget Cuts!

Upon hopeful, safe returns,

under the recent budget cuts,

these too-young warriors will 

now render a higher co-pay for their

already meager Veteran benefits!

The “Gold Star” families will be

doled out not even enough for

a decent burial for their fallen!

Support Our Troops!!!

A Liberal Democrat against the 

war, but not against the troupes,

shows more support than this

treacherous, foul administration!

Be Ashamed Georgie Boy…Be F…ing Ashamed!

Re-Enforced 

I have sealed

up the bunker!

Battened down

all the hatches,

and all around

reinforced the 

battle Homefront!

From this undisclosed

location on the

fashionable west-side

of ‘Angel City, we do

cyber-war, keyboard

chaos, and even send

insulting correspondence

to government and

religious sites.

We ring doorbells and

run, in a 21^st Century

high tech kind of way.

I have windows

that let in air, and keep

out unwanted stares.

Put aluminum foil in

the insulation for…well,

you know…and I’m teaching

my dog to attack people

who smell like Republicans.

If that were not enough,

I have placed an old

World War II sword

right by the desk to

show intruders just

who’s on what side.

Armed guards are willing

to post at my beckon call,

for the price of three cases

of fine American beer!

Back to trying to keep

us all safe and amused…

‘By any means necessary’.

(You’ll thank me in the end). (?).

S. A. Gerber is a native and resident again of Los Angeles, CA. after having spent twenty-four years in a neighboring “city of sin” in the Silver State of Nevada.  The author of : Under the Radar, Inventory, and Old School His work has appeared in such diverse publications as: Desert Voices Magazine, Subtopian Magazine, Talking Sidewalk,  Mad Swirl, Sediment Literary and Arts Journal, Poetica Magazine, Black Heart Magazine,  The Blue Collar Review, Los Angeles Review of Los Angeles, The Linden Avenue Literary Journal, The Poet’s Haven, Stray Light Literary Magazine, Literature in Los Angeles Magazine, Opiate Magazine, Pacific Poetry, Neologism Poetry Journal, The Lyric, Free Venice Beachhead, The Shot Glass Journal, Dove Tales-“Empathy in Art: Embracing the Other”, Writing for Peace, International Journal of the Arts, Alien Buddha Press-Holiday Anthology-2020, The Rye Whiskey Review, Dumpster Fire Press, and Open Skies Quarterly. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Poet’s Society, you can find his work via“The Poetry of S. A. Gerber” on  Facebook.. His books have also just been included in The Sims Library of Poetry. (Gerb has a new poetry volume due sometime in 2021.)