Ranked one of the best local poets, Ron Gavalik bleeds gritty, raw truth that captures the powerful moments of life. Enjoy the sample poetry below from several published collections. Save your favorites and share with friends.

The Last Vestige of Old Pittsburgh

The Last Vestige of Old Pittsburgh rekindles the age-old fire that burns inside the beautifully imperfect souls who suffer hard labor and hard love.
“These works continue my observations and lived experiences. The difference this time, however, is I bring the past along with us in each creative expression. Sometimes this is detectable. Other times, you’d never know it. Nevertheless, real Pittsburgh lives and breathes in every poem of this collection.”
–Ron Gavalik

Rusted Roads and Day-Old Roses

Rusted Roads and Day-Old Roses is a deviant driving tour through the lives of victims, the voiceless, and the vicious.
“The poetry in this collection explores how humanity is compelled to keep going. In pursuit of enlightenment, loot, food, or sex - we're essentially forced on a journey through time. In this endeavor, I use my rideshare driving experiences as a lever to help people find their truth within these pages.”
–Ron Gavalik

Resisting the Masquerade

Resisting the Masquerade rips away the plastic resin that slowly suffocates every soul that yearns to breathe free.
“The works here provide the means to rip ourselves from the long claws of the mob. I refer to this as the greatest form of moral dissent. In this pursuit of personal truth, we find the fortitude to reject the grifters who attach themselves to our souls.”
–Ron Gavalik

Lovers Are Future Enemies

In this exploration of the struggles and conflicts within our romantic pursuits, we unleash the courageous heart that's ready to chase the sun wild and free.
“In this collection, I pull back the curtain on the observations and lived experiences that define the tormented pursuit of love. We are then prepared to embrace our true selves and reject the false lovers each of us have endured.”
–Ron Gavalik

Gothic Riot Dreams

There's a hidden beauty that lives within the souls of working men and women who fight every day to make it through our lives.
“I authored this collection in honor of my trade union family. The works in this collection reveal our fears and regrets, the small joys we experience, the absurdities we confront, and our perpetual struggle to make it.”
–Ron Gavalik

 Slag River Sins

Authored from within the furnace of Pittsburgh's underbelly, this collection reveals confessions of harsh truths, lost love, gluttonous hungers, loathing, and violence.
“I plunged a hand into my soul to extract bloody regrets from inside the Rust Belt. I then sculpted that madness into a collection of timeless poetry that will outlive us all.”
–Ron Gavalik

Sidewalks

A walking tour of madness observed and lived upon the sidewalks of Pittsburgh. Together, we explore the beauty of our truths and the horrors of our lies.
“During my time living in the South Side Flats, I spent years observing the intricacies of life upon sidewalks. I then used free verse poetry to illustrate the raw portraits that provide insight into our imperfect lives.”
–Ron Gavalik

Hot Metal Tonic

In this former Amazon #1 bestselling collection of micropoetry, the reader is introduced to the molten form of love and hatred, personal struggle, and whiskey-laced madness.
“In my first free verse poetry collection, I used a lifetime of experiences and observations to paint a sad, funny, and thoughtful portrait of life inside our homes, on the streets, and at the jobs. My goal was simple: to transcend geography and time.”
–Ron Gavalik

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