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With take-no-prisoners wit, these poems range from parody to pathos to draw the reader into a world rich in irony—ambivalent volunteers, uncertain alliances, and self-absorbed citizens. Together, they create a string of wry observations on the American military that could only have come from a career infantry officer with an eye for the absurd. From the surprising first poem through the jolt of the collection’s final line, these poems provide a much-needed perspective on soldiers, veterans—and the nation.


About the Author

Gary Mesick has tried his hand at being a soldier, a teacher, a business leader, and a writer.

He graduated from West Point, having sneaked as many English courses as he could into a set engineering curriculum, and he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the infantry. After a stint as a platoon leader and a company commander, he attended Harvard on his way to another four years at West Point, this time teaching English. In his spare time while patrolling the DMZ in Korea, he finished his dissertation with books mailed to him from the Library of Congress.


When he left the army, he discovered his only marketable skill was the ability to type 70 words a minute. He parlayed that into a job in aerospace, where he has continued to work in process and data management. Gary currently leads an analytics data engineering organization. He also teaches business analysis at a local university.


His home brew has won "best lager" at the state fair.

Gary writes, works, and lives near Seattle, Washington, where the steady drizzle will prevent you from ever seeing him break a sweat.


Gary’s website