A virulent virus spreads; everything's on pause.
Governments scramble to survive.
When leadership falters, life is more uncertain.
We see that with number Forty-five.

The president attempts to act presidential
But leaves us with a giant question mark.
At a time when honesty is needed more than ever,
We are often left out in the dark.

When leaders spout that certain things are more important
Than living, we should run the other way.
They have sold themselves to cruel heartlessness.
They're the predators and we, the prey.

We can do our best to live out our lives.
Let's not subject ourselves to blame,
Even though at times we can't help but feel
That we are merely pawns in a game.

Some governors tell us to get back to work
Before safety measures are in place.
To them we are nothing but numbers, figures--
Statistics in an deadly database.

Some irresponsible newscasters say,
"This is not so bad as it seems."
Downplaying the danger to satisfy their whims,
They hurt us all by spreading dangerous memes.

Playing with our lives, many leaders try
To judge our worth based on market price.
If we want to win, some of us must lose,
They say to us while handing us the dice.

We can do our best to live out our lives.
Let's not subject ourselves to blame,
Even though at times we can't help but feel
That we are merely pawns in a game.

-by Bob B (4-30-20)

Mike Pence paid a visit
To the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
Does the man have any sense?
Apparently, not one iota.

Everyone else around him was wearing
A mask, but oh, no, not he.
And he is supposed to be leading the COVID-
Nineteen task force. What a VP!

He said he wanted to thank people
By looking at them right in the eye.
He can't do that while wearing a mask?
His reasoning's hard to justify.

If eye contact while wearing protection
Is hard for him, then we should ask
If someone could PLEASE show the man
How to properly wear a mask!

He also stood very close to others.
Does the man not understand
What social distancing means? I guess
He lives in Michael's Wonderland.

Or does he think that God will protect him
From getting the virus because of prayer?
God would probably think, "Fool!
I had masks made for you to wear!"

Leaders ought to lead by example.
Sadly, Trump and his admin would rather
Provide us with mixed messages
And lies as on and on they blather.

-by Bob B (4-29-20)

Where can I get my remedy
For COVID-19 today?
The president said he knows how he
Can make it go away.

He said it's very simple, for it
Merely involves an injectant--
Just inject into your veins
A household disinfectant!

Let me see: what would be better--
Lysol, Purell, or bleach?
Or maybe he would recommend
Getting a shot of each.

And then he offered another idea:
What might expedite
The death of the virus is bathing ourselves
In ultraviolet light!

For the longest time he pushed
A drug and strongly suggested
That it be made available,
Although it hadn't been tested.

His other strategy has been
To fire or demote
Those who don't agree with him.
Scientists take note.

What a guy! What a leader
To get us through this mess!
Where he gets his bizarre notions
Is anybody's guess.

By the way, he failed to mention
That Lysol injections do
Ultimately **** the virus
BECAUSE THEY **** YOU, TOO!

-by Bob B (4-25-20)

In Texas, near San Antonio,
Lived a couple--two great guys,
Phillip and Tony, happily married,
But that shouldn't be a surprise.

Tony was a councilman;
Phillip owned a beauty shop.
All was well till COVID-19,
And then everything came to a stop.

Phillip grew ill and saw his doctor,
Who sent him home with some meds. So far,
His illness wasn't advanced, but soon
He had to be taken to the ER.

Tony also grew ill and tried
To stay home for as long as he could.
When he was rushed to the hospital,
Things were NOT looking so good.

Tony was placed in the room next to Phillip,
Who had been on a respirator.
Phillip's body gave out and he died;
Tony died a few hours later.

Phillip's mother had been living
With the two men, and she, too, came down
With the same virus, and so she must grieve
All by herself in the small Texan town.

Together at Fort Sam Houston, Phillip
And Tony will be laid to rest.
While living, the two men had each other.
At least we can say that they had been blessed.

This is just one of the many sad stories
That COVID-19 has brought to the fore.
Until the virus is under control,
We know for certain that there will be more.

-by Bob B (4-19-20)

COVID-19 continues to spread.
We know that for a fact.
And yet it took the feds such
A long time to act.

Trump's denial at first didn't
Help the matter at all.
There are obvious consequences
When nations' leaders stall.

Trump supporters on TV report,
"People die every day
In swimming pools and accidents."
Obnoxious things to say!

One thing that makes their arguments
So utterly outrageous
Is that auto accidents
And pools are NOT contagious!

To save the economy, let people die?
That is what they're implying.
Their callousness and thoughtlessness
Are truly horrifying.

Trump's approach flip-flops daily,
From what we can see.
He wants ultimate power but no
Responsibility.

When state governors implement
Guidelines on his list,
He stupidly tells fanatic fans
To publicly resist.

He tells the country's governors
It's all in their hands.
Inept and lacking empathy,
He's tired of their demands.

By making them all fend for themselves,
He can later claim
That if the situation worsens,
They'll be the ones to blame.

It's all about the election to him--
That his power survives.
He hopes that no one sees how he's playing
Politics with our lives.

We can't move forward if we do not
Implement widespread testing.
Test, isolate, treat, and trace
Are what we should be requesting.

As one governor succinctly says--
Not wanting to blunder--
That it's much better to be six feet
Apart than six feet under.

-by Bob B (4-18-20)

I happened to see the Easter Bunny
On my way to Nowhere.
I asked him how he was. He said,
“You don’t want to go there.

“COVID-19, I have to say,
Is making me feel blue.
We can’t have our Easter egg hunts!
What’s a rabbit to do?

“I’m going to have to stay at home
And wallow, I’m afraid,
In jelly beans and chocolate
And watch ‘Easter Parade.’

“My Easter feast has been cancelled.
We have to “meet” on Zoom.
I’ll be celebrating while
Sitting in my room.

“I hope people were safe when buying
Easter goodies this year.
Better safe than sorry,” he added,
Wiping away a tear.

Keeping our distance and wearing our masks,
We chatted a very short while.
He said, “It’s weird: all these masks.
You CAN’T see others smile.”

Since he was in a bit of a hurry,
I said, “Old friend, stay well.”
I thought that he was smiling, but frankly,
It was hard to tell.

-by Bob B (4-12-20)

The battle continues as COVID-19
Insidiously continues to spread.
People are doing their part to combat it--
Still not knowing what lies ahead.

The luckier folks have milder cases.
Self-quarantined, they hope they can win
The battle against the dangerous virus--
Trying to smile as their patience wears thin.

In hospital rooms around the country
People are struggling to stay alive.
The virus stealthily crosses all boundaries,
Seeking out places where it can thrive.

Health care workers everywhere
Are putting their lives in danger to give
Excellent treatment to those in their care.
Their goal: helping their patients to live.

Loved ones live in anguish and fear.
Unable to enter hospital rooms
To comfort the ones they love, they must
Avoid a place where danger looms.

Doctors and nurses, along with other
Trained medical personnel,
Perform their medical duties and serve
As "family" to the dying as well.

A laptop or phone might be the only
Contact some have with the world outside.
For many, their bodies succumb to the virus,
For they are unable to turn the tide.

Hold them in your heart--the ones
Who are isolated and on their own.
Embrace them all with loving thoughts--
The ones who sadly must die alone.

-by Bob B (4-9-20)