Jason Hecker's poems are humorous above all. He uses them to reveal his cynical, rebellious nature, cracking jokes at suburban life, urban life, and the way Americans choose to live their lives, trapped in an unrewarding, illogical financial system. Despite their harsh subject matter, his poems are fun to read, like a well-crafted parody.
Jason says, "A brief bio of me would have to include the tidbit that I grew up the son of a fundamentalist preacher and his wife. I have noticed that not many people express envy when I tell them this. There is something about having unrealistic expectations of sainthood thrust upon you at an early age that almost guarantees you will become offensive, if only for the entertainment value. I was born in Minneapolis, lived in Ridgeway, PA, Akron OH, Clarksburg, WV, and Delray Beach, FL in my youth. The exposure I got to all those different types of regional culture had a lot to do with my getting into writing. I got to meet people from all walks of life and all strat of society at an early age. Today I find myself equally comfortable in the company of corporate executives and winos as a result, although I have to admit a preference for the poor and working classes. Hard lives are much more interesting.
"I moved to Columbus about eight years ago to finish my college education. I had nothing better to do. I have also struggled with little success in the music industry, here and in Florida. About the only good that's come from that is that I met my wife that way. Other than that, I'm not much better off than I was when I started out at 17. I'm better at it, and I have about 100 or so songs under my belt now, but I'm still about as obscure as you can get.
"I've been writing since I was a kid, but have only fairly recently begun to pursue it as more than an occasional hobby. One disadvantage to having the songwriting background is that you get used to waiting for inspiration to do anything (whatever that is), and you don't develop teh self-discipline that it takes to write poetry or prose. My work habits, such as they are, are still based in laziness and screwing around. I'm working on that, though." Jason has no e-mail address, but you can reach him through Unlikely Stories.
Jason's works here at Unlikely Stories are:
2003:
Offensive Halfwit
More Worthless Advice
Decisions, Decisions
The Touch of God
July 1999 - July 2000:
None for Me, Thanks
Rejection Slips
Dirt
Coyote v ACME
Ode to a Bunch of Dandelions
Work
The 100th Man