Author: Gary Beck Source: https://www.polseguera.com/writers/writing-451_too-harsh-for-pastels.html Too Harsh For Pastels Too Harsh For Pastels is an unpublished poetry collection that is concerned with the suffering and growing despair in our troubled society. Diversion III The captain reports fuel tanks are full, water tank topped off, preparations made for a day on the boat. The chef reports fresh caviar, lobsters, a case of Dom Perignon. My guests will be happy. The Harbor Master reports they've moved the smaller boats to the other side of the marina, so their noisy parties won't disturb us. As long as I don't look at the shabby houses on the shore, nothing will distract us from another pleasant evening on my mega-yacht, "The Profit Margin".   Degrees Conflicts arise domestic and foreign some husband and wife, others clashing armies. In a violent world only degrees of difference separate many of us from primitive reactions, sophisticated destruction.   Disenchantment The people of my land are betrayed each day by diligent servants of the lords of profit who do not care if a child hungers in the land of the free, a veteran is abandoned in the home of the brave, an able-bodied worker is callously discarded in the land of opportunity, regulated by the few at the expense of the many, until belief dwindles in the promise of America.   Odd Species Thunder and lightning terrified all creatures who quickly forgot, except man the cunning inventor couldn't accept abnormal occurrences, instead creating animist systems to explain the lack of control of the forces of nature.   Progression The invention of agriculture, another revolution in the ascent of mankind, changed the nature of existence, hunting, gathering, slowly replaced by primitive farming, setting the roles of male/female on an evolutionary path, culminating in the confusing present where women are hunters, and men resent gathering, and are searching for a new identity.