I like to think that I eat well.
But eating well to me doesn't mean
That I intend to completely remove
Sugar from my daily routine.

I know that protein and grains and fruits
And veggies are vital; I like them a lot.
But sometimes a hunk of chicken or steak
Or a carrot doesn't hit the spot.

We are what we eat, people say.
I am not saying that I am a ****,
But I would rather be seen as a cream puff
Than seen as a chicken, a cow, or a pig.

"Moderation" sounds judicious,
Though it's a word that's hard to define.
Your idea of moderation
Might be completely different from mine.

If somebody said, "Add ten years
To your life by avoiding sugary treats,"
With no hesitation, I would reply,
"YOU take the years; I'LL take the sweets."

-by Bob B (11-24-19)

Well done, Adam!°
Let the truth be told.
Obstruction, lies, and abuse of power
All are getting old.

Don't falter, Adam.
Some of your colleagues' actions
Are meant to confuse and stir up doubt.
They are mere distractions.

Show what happens, Adam,
When a leader places
His own interests above the nation's
And even above his base's.

Don't stop, Adam,
Doing what is right.
Don't let far-right fantasies
Obstruct your line of sight.

Open the eyes, Adam,
Of those who live in denial.
Show the dangers of cultish clinging
To those across the aisle.

The president, Adam,
Has to know that his
Corrupt behavior shows the world
What he truly is.

Whatever happens, Adam,
Put your mind at rest.
If people fail to see the light,
At least you've done your best.

-by Bob B (11-23-19)

°Adam Schiff, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee

It's hard to watch as Republicans
In Congress parrot Putin's words.
In spouting Putin's talking points,
What they're doing is polishing turds.
°И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Brandishing conspiracy theories
And fantasies that have been debunked,
They are showing the world how their
Integrity is now defunct.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Bending the truth with the Putin/Russian
Intelligence narrative flies in the face
Of all that we have done for years
To keep democracy in place.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Putin loves to see Americans
Attack one another by going for the throat.
After stirring up discord here,
He can then sit back and gloat.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Putin's friends in the White House, too,
Bolster the leader's insidious plot
And say that Putin is innocent
While the country Ukraine is not.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

What has happened to America--
The land of the free, the home of the brave?
George Washington must be
Turning over in his grave.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

-by Bob B (11-22-19)

°I eto delajet putina otchen shastliwim.

The Internet was abuzz this week;
It had to do with a possible slip.
They say that during an interview,
Eric Swalwell° let one rip.

The sound was caused, Swalwell says,
By a mug scraping across a desk.
The big hullabaloo has made
The incident rather Chauceresque.

Even if there happened to be
A breaking of wind, not so mute,
Tell me: what on earth could be
More natural than a little toot?

But Swalwell wants to make it clear
To anyone who might be a doubter:
The sound picked up by the mics was most
Assuredly NOT a slipper-outer.

-by Bob B (11-20-19)

°U.S. Representative for California's 15th Congressional District

(If you don’t know the song from GYPSY, "Everything's Coming Up Roses,” by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, listen to Bette Midler’s version on YouTube. Then try singing this poem to the melody.)

We can all see…
The truth is so clear, people.
It's not just a smear, people.
It's what we should fear. Oh, people,

Like two peas
In a pod
Such a friendship might seem rather odd.
As for us,
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

Business deals
Or *** tapes?
Microphones hidden in drapes?
So bizarre…
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

They're going strong now.
What could be their desire?
Putin knows how
He'll make the president kowtow.

Will Trump lift
Sanctions soon?
Will both keep on singing in tune?
Just you wait
And you’ll see
Who is whose
Devotee.
It's strange to watch the two talk crook to crook.
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin wherever we look.

They contrive this
Situation at hand.
We'll survive this;
Maybe we'd better archive this.

Putin wants
In Ukraine
To make it part of Russia's domain.
Where this goes,
Who can tell?
Doesn't this
Ring a bell?
'Cause they know every trick that's in the book.
People, all roads will lead us to true Russian meddling;
All roads will lead to the White House’s cover-ups;
All roads lead Trump to just one place without a doubt;
ALL ROADS LEAD CLEARLY TO PUTIN WHEREVER WE LOOK!

-by Bob B (11-19-19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm6Vi7WdK-k

Welcome to the new America.
Two hundred forty-some years, and wow!:
A few years of Donald Trump,
And look at what we have here now:

Republicans who once held
American values in high esteem
Parrot Kremlin propaganda,
Giving shape to Putin’s dream.

The president, boldly abusing
The power of pardon multiple times,
Pardons servicemen who
Have been convicted of war crimes.

Though bribery’s a crime by law,
Believe it or not, Republicans say
That when the president commits it,
Breaking the law is--yikes!--okay.

By frequently abusing his power,
The president, who acts like a king,
Plots White House cover-ups
And lies about almost everything.

An adversary becomes our ally;
Former allies become estranged.
The nation is more vulnerable
As priorities are rearranged.

Be a part of the “Me Too” movement,
But be aware of the current dictum:
Accuse someone of ****** assault,
And the perpetrator will be the victim.

Taking advantage of his position,
The president is free to loot
The country for his own enrichment,
And many people don’t give a hoot.

If you are seeking asylum, forget it.
The country now will let you in
If you pass a major requirement:
It all depends on the color of your skin.

Climate change is called a hoax
And regulations are rolled back.
Criticize the president
And find yourself under attack.

White nationalists who are close
To the president help him make
Intolerant policies
That put our rights and freedom at stake.

Now congressional oversight
Is called a witch hunt, a lynching, a coup.
To understand the president's motives,
Just ask, "What would Putin do?"

So welcome…I mean…welcome maybe.
America seems to have a new face--
One to be changed mainly by thoughtful
Attention at the polling place.

-by Bob B (11-19-19)

Hats off to the patriots
Who aren't afraid to testify
In Congress during impeachment hearings.
No one needs to ask them why

They are willing to sit before Congress
And put their reputation on line,
Knowing that they'll be under attack
By people trying to undermine

Their character, virtue, honor,
And solid credibility.
As patriots, they stand tall,
But do so with humility.

Sadly, their words fall on deaf ears
Of many who do not care to hear
The truth about the man at the top--
The self-serving puppeteer.

The patriots have honored subpoenas
And NOT caved in to intimidation,
Despite being the subjects of threats,
Damaging tweets, and condemnation.

They're being grilled to expose something
About which we shouldn't be glad:
The most corrupt administration
The U.S. has ever had.

-by Bob B (11-17-19)