Dystopia

"In these turbulent times, we can find solace in our expressions of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and aggravations. We can use poetry as an outlet for feelings too big to express in simple ways. Steve's poetry gives voice to readers' amorphous ideas and fears. For those who don't have the same ease putting thoughts on paper, Steve's voice expresses things typically too intangible to make solid. Read this and know you're not alone. Even in darkness there is light. While things may seem dire, change is always possible. But, sometimes you just need to yell loud enough for others to hear."

-Stacy Harken, JD, Information Architect/Technical Writer

"I've followed Steve Gerson's poetry for years. I've seen him tackle disease, culture, politics, life, and much more. I'm struck by this new book as I find it just a bit more aggressive and pessimistic than the previous entries, but for good reason. The United States has entered into unprecedented territory, and this is reflected in the words within this book. Gerson's poems mirror how all of us feel as we slowly descend into Dystopia. As a photographer and artist, I am particularly drawn to the use of light and dark to depict moods and emotions. In all the darkness of our daily lives, he sums up our times, our culture, our lives with one simple question: 'Can Light Emerge?'"

-Collin Thomas, Media and Marketing Manager

"Replete with luminescent artistry, Steve Gerson's latest volume sparkles amid tales of love, loss, desolation, and hope. In crystalline poetry and prose, Dystopia captures the present Orwellian state of Amerika ruled by a would-be king. But the sheer beauty of Gerson's verbiage surmounts all, ranging from the love of his life to renderings of tortured relationships, Kafkaesque imaginings, and the fraying of a nation's promises and ideals. Presented by a patriot confounded by his nation's turn, this book is masterful, memorable, and meaningful."

-Dr. Robert C. Cottrell, author of the two-volume Revolution, Counterrevolution, and Assassination.

"Dr. Gerson has once again stepped further into his poetic genre with his ninth book of poetry.  Building on his past successful insights into nature and human experience with shared observations, Dystopia takes us to the dark side of human survival and existence in an ambiguous and disconnected society. Like Orwell's 1984, bleakness is pervasive, yet within the poems like 'Existential Cataract' and 'Hacker's Rap,' a connection is created with the reader as an aware human being in a not-so-human world driven by aging cultures and artificial intelligence, all without clear boundaries or meaning, or any sense of value. My favorite selection brings crows out in winter to survive in the dark and cold: 'Self Portrait as February' speaks personally to me. Although perhaps this book could be considered somewhat dark in terms of theme, the depth of human consciousness within each piece certainly makes this collection one of Gerson's best."

-Dr. Bill Lamb, English Professor