“ The spoken word CD, Stark Reality, by poet, performance artist, Michael Stark,  is aptly titled for its clearly personal expressions of widely and wildly diverse experiences. Yet every track is rich with understanding and compassion for the human race and the various individuals who make up Stark's reality. From the sweet and simple "Stumbling" to the raw and devastating "Lucy", deep feelings pour forth and connect us to stories and lives we may not have personally known, but can somehow grok as we listen to the deep and compelling resonance of Stark's calm, shattering delivery. 

   The smells, recollections, and tactile nuances expressed in "My Mother's Purse" will have listeners remembering their own, while "Mary Said" reminds us all of the complexities inherent in even the simplest relationship. 

   "Fear and Paranoia" makes us laugh with self recognition one minute and cringe with horror for that same recognition in the next line or two.  "The Ballad of Isreal Sierra" is a relentless testament to the grim and tragic reality of one immigrant family's nightmare - one that any American can somehow recognize as true, in the face of the socalled American Dream.

   These are a few of my favorite picks.  You might have others, so give a lengthy listen.  The tracks with music, sensitive, haunting and professional, pay tribute to the current stage of the artistic community of Woodstock, NY, where the CD was recorded.”

—Celeste Graves, Saugerties, NY,  2007