As Trump gets more obnoxious, his
Approval ratings rise.
Why can't more Americans see
The danger in his lies?

The man's a total disaster; he's
A wheel missing some spokes.
At first he lied at his rallies, saying
COVID-19 was a hoax.

Now he wants to expunge those words
From all the records, of course.
He's doing it to save his hide; it's not
Because he feels remorse.

Misinforming the public's a ploy
He's done all along.
He would prefer to croak than ever
Admit that he was wrong.

As governors scramble to fight a virus,
Requests go unheeded.
States compete for medical
Supplies badly needed.

Many people's lives are at risk.
Health workers require
Protective gear, for they are directly
In the line of fire.

"America first" has long been Trump's
Pretended aspiration.
We ARE first: we have more cases
Than any other nation--

Cases of COVID-19, that is.
The numbers, too, are rising.
Due to our government's slow response,
That is not surprising.

Testing, testing, testing is key,
Experts keep repeating.
To act without adhering to facts
Is totally self-defeating.

Experts, speak out! Don't be afraid
Of Trump's tantrums and wrath.
Failure to give us the truth will lead us
Down a dangerous path.

-by Bob B (3-27-20)

When the day is murky
And clouds obstruct the sun,
I look for shining moments
Before the day is done.
I know it often seems
The clouds are here to stay.
Still, I hope a rainbow
Will brighten up my day.

I trust that at some point
I won't be wondering when
The gloomy clouds will leave us
And the sun will shine again.
Call it optimism
Or my naïveté,
But I still seek a rainbow
To brighten up my day.

The stormy clouds create
A harsh reality
And make the silver linings
Difficult to see.
Do not be disheartened
By what nay-sayers say.
You might see a rainbow
To brighten up your day.

I know we have to take
The bitter with the sweet.
A setback here or there
Doesn't mean defeat.
Just hang on to hope
And don't be led astray.
You will find that rainbow
To brighten up your day.

-by Bob B (3-26-20)

Don't hoard all the toilet paper!
Leave some for the rest of us.
There's enough to go around,
So we have a right to make a fuss.

Don't go crazy buying masks.
Leave some for the medical staff
Who badly need protective gear.
Spread the word on their behalf.

Why keep hoarding bottled water?
Water from the tap is fine.
Get a water purifier
If yours is not a good as mine.

Disinfectant wipes? Come on!
Do you need them ALL for yourself?
Couldn't you just take your share
And leave a few for me on the shelf?

Paper towels? Purell? Also
Disappearing round the clock.
Do we have to ration items
To keep a few more things in stock?

Do not fill the ER, please,
Unless you have an emergency,
Because if I get seriously ill,
I want there to be a spot for me.

There are a few things you should hoard:
Try hoarding common sense,
Responsibility, and caution.
Knowledge is our best defense.

Corncobs? They are out of the question.
It would put my mind at ease
If everybody followed directions.
Do not hoard the TP, please!

-by Bob B (3-23-20)

We're ****** into the Game of Life
Crying, "Here I am! Make way!"
And then we have to play along,
Whether or not we want to play.

Confused and bewildered at first, we strive
To gather together strategic tools
To help us maneuver through twists and turns,
And as we play we learn the rules.

The game's not always easy, for our
Priorities often need rearranging.
What makes life even trickier yet
Is that the blasted rules keep changing!

Once in a while we win a round;
And then once in a while we lose.
We learn to celebrate our gains,
To ride out storms, to pay our dues.

We also learn that fellow players
Are NOT always on our side.
Thus, it's necessary for us
To be prepared for a bumpy ride.

Along the way, we will encounter
Liars who try to sabotage
Our efforts to thrive. We also have to
Learn what's true and what's a mirage.

Ah! Those moments of happiness--
We want to grasp them to make them last.
But sad times make their unwelcome entrance
And must be dealt with until they've passed.

Close calls often occur, and at times
We don't even know that they are there.
Don't be neurotic and paranoid,
But here's some advice: always beware.

Play with gusto, and always maintain
The enthusiasm of a beginner,
For in this game, each of us
Can ultimately be a winner.

Once we make our final move,
Forget grasping, fortune, and fame.
The rules will have changed again;
We'll be playing a different game.

-by Bob B (3-22-20)

Empty shelves. Lack of supplies.
Fighting a virus that's unforgiving.
School closures. Loss of jobs.
A new reality in which we're living.

Hospitals filling. Medical staff
In danger from lack of protective gear.
Stores and industries shutting down.
For how long remains unclear.

Closed borders. Cancelled flights.
Social distancing's a must.
Living in a dystopian novel,
We hear the command: Adjust! Adjust!

Where is our federal leadership?
Scrambling for sure, but this is worth noting:
The president's spreading misinformation
And keeps applying a sugar coating.

We need help! our governors say;
We're limited, but doing what we can.
The president says, "We are not
A supply shop." Compassionate man!

When asked pertinent questions about
Allaying the public's fears or stress,
Our insecure president
Loses control and attacks the press.

For months we knew of the imminent threat,
And yet where was the preparation?
The jaw-dropping inactivity
Of our leadership endangers our nation.

Our ICU surge capacity
Must be increased, experts insist.
And personal protective equipment
Should be at the top of the list.

Unfortunately, the president's
Narcissism gets in his way.
We DON'T need empty promises;
We need action. Now! Today!

We'll get through this eventually.
Because of him? NO! In SPITE of him
Who leads us down the rabbit hole
And governs by a hunch and a whim.

-by Bob B (3-21-20)

They say we must be careful
Not to spread our germs.
Here's a situation with which
We've got to come to terms.
Viruses can be deadly--
Especially one like this.
This one isn't one that we
Can easily dismiss.

Wash your hands with soap,
Cover your mouth when you sneeze,
And do not touch your face with unwashed
Hands, geez Louise!
Avoid crowded spaces
To keep the virus from spreading.
To extreme social distancing:
That's where we are heading.

If you have a symptom
That makes you nervous, you
Should first of all not panic because
It might be the flu.
Stay home and be cautious;
Be sure to isolate
Yourself from others, for COVID-19
Doesn't discriminate.

If your test results
Indicate that yes,
You have caught the virus, then
Don't run to the press.
Let your doctor know.
To do that don't think twice.
Do everything in your power to follow
The doctor's sound advice.

Let's all do our part
To get this under control
So life can go on as before.
That should be our goal.
However, if you choose
To live life recklessly,
And end up catching the virus, well,
Don't give it to me!

-by Bob B (3-18-20)

COVID-19 is here! We have to
Do what we can to slow its spread.
Failure to act appropriately
Will mean scarier times ahead.

Experts say the mortality rate
Of the flu is zero point one percent;
COVID-19 is ten times worse.
Someone, PLEASE tell the president!

It's also NOT something that we
Control through travel bans,° they say.
Testing is crucial. South Korea
Tests 10,000 people a day!

Have bureaucratic snags prevented
Testing here? If testing is key
To help suppress the spread of the virus,
And others can do it, why can't we?

Identify and isolate.
We need more tests and on the double.
If health systems are overburdened,
We will be in a heap of trouble.

Yes, we have to "flatten the curve"
And practice precautions to the letter.
Still, the situation is going to
Get much worse before it gets better.

One thing we've learned: Trump and his cronies
Had stifled many efforts to contain
The spread of the virus by carrying on
Their reckless disinformation campaign.

Clear, honest messaging
And not a suspicious, distrustful inaction
Is what we need; otherwise,
You're going to dislike the coming attraction.

-by Bob B (3-12-20)

°At first experts disagreed as to the effectiveness of travel bans--especially arbitrary travel bans.