As more information comes to light,
There's still a growing appetite
For many to think that wrong is right,
And the Big Lie continues.

The followers remain aloof.
Despite no evidence or proof
Of voter fraud, they keep up the spoof,
And the Big Lie continues.

Candidates across the land
Are truly getting out of hand
As ignorance makes a huge demand,
And the Big Lie continues.

The cult leader makes a claim,
Knowing so well it's just a game
And acting without a sense of shame,
And the Big Lie continues.

Unless you pull a ****, it spreads
And soon takes over the flower beds.
So it is with knuckleheads
As the Big Lie continues.

Tend to your garden; don't delay.
Although you must struggle day after day,
With effort you'll make the weeds go away
As the Big Lie continues.

-by Bob B (7-7-22)

I'm not at all desirous of Heaven;
Nor do I have a fear of Hell.
That we end up in either place
Is--to me--a very hard sell.

Some believe in purgatory--
Another place that lies in between
The other two. End up there
And you are given the chance to come clean.

Many people long to know
That a certain sense of justice prevails--
That we must pay for any wrongdoing.
They try to spell out what that entails:

Doing good and having specific
Beliefs will help you secure a place
In some heavenly realm where you
Will suffer no longer and live in grace.

But if that isn't the path for you,
Then, oh, no, heaven forbid!
You will have to face punishment
For all the evil things that you did.

It's both a lure and a scare tactic.
That's what the concept seems to me.
It's almost as though we go through life
Behaving like a parolee.

Is human nature such that we need
To receive a punishment or reward
For being bad or good, which applies
To everybody across the board?

Wouldn't it be enough to say
That being bad is wrong for you,
While doing good is appropriate
Merely because it's the right thing to do?

Is human nature also such
That people feel that by and large
No one should reap the benefits
Of anything out there free of charge?

And good and bad--for goodness’ sake--
Are relative, to say the least.
And ludicrous it is to think
That anyone bears the "mark of the beast."

After we die, returning to what
We were before we were born makes sense.
Ultimately, since no one knows
For sure, we all remain in suspense.

-by Bob B (7-5-22)

When I kick the bucket and if you see my family,
Please don’t be tempted to say,
“It was quick; he didn’t suffer long”
Or “Be happy that he’s no longer in pain”
Or “He’s now in Heaven or in the Pure Land”
Or “He lived a good life.”
Just hug them and say,
“I’m sorry” (if you are)
Or “I acknowledge your grief” (if you do)
Or “We will all miss him” (if you will)
Or “I’m surprised the SOB lived as long as he did” (if that’s how you feel).
No, maybe you won’t want to say that--not if you are talking to my family at least.
Then smile
And reflect….
Reflect on the fleeting nature of life,
On what it takes to live life fully,
On the inexplicable mysteries of life,
On the persevering and miraculous aspects of Nature,
And on the amazing interconnectedness of all things.
Grieve if you must,
But not for too long a period.
Don’t let it cause you to miss a game
Or a party
Or a dinner
Or a show.
Just continue being the special person you are,
And live!
Live!
Live!
Live!

-by Bob B (6-26-22)

So God, the Supreme Being, Creator--
Whatever you want to call Him--sat
And looked down upon the planet
That was the Earthlings' habitat.

"My, oh, my!" He said to himself.
"What I've done is truly insane:
I gave people a way to think,
But some aren't able use their brain.

"Terminating pregnancies
Isn't an issue that's black or white.
But I gave people the means to do it;
Each must decide to do what's right.

"I gave people excellent doctors,
Safe methods, facilities,
And people who offer expert advice
In keeping with their abilities.

"What I can see occurring right now
Is SOME want to choose what's "right" for OTHERS.
Whether to carry a child to term
Should be entirely up to the mothers.

"My God--oops, I said it again--
It really frustrates me when I find
That people down there claim to know
What is happening in my mind.

"This is my goal for everybody:
It's incumbent on you to look
Inside your heart and do not base
All your decisions on any one book.

"Extremist ideologies!
They are disgusting to me, and yet
People love to involve me in them.
We need a sit-down--a tête-à-tête.

"But right now I have other problems.
I've been watching two nations collide.
Ridiculously, each of the countries
Thinks that I am on its side."

-by Bob B (6-25-22)

It really seems that COVID's here to stay.
A virus isn’t easy to contain.
Vaccinations help keep it at bay,
But battles with its variants remain.

Trying to avoid it is a chore,
But certainly it's worth it in the end.
Sometimes it's a daily tug-o-war:
Reminding folks that COVID's not their friend.

People act as though it's disappeared,
And many folks have thus let down their guard.
What they're doing is that which should be feared:
Believing what is plainly a canard.

Because of strict precautions, lives were saved.
But there were far too many that were lost.
Unfortunately, many people caved,
And when we do, we do so at great cost.

For countless reasons we are who we are.
I still wonder what makes people tick
When they cavalierly choose to spar
With those who try to keep them from being sick.

So COVID's here to stay for now at least.
How much longer? Well, that's hard to tell.
Don't give up the fight till it has ceased
To threaten you and other folks as well.

-by Bob B (6-18-22)

Uvalde, Texas. Miah Cerrillo,
A child only eleven years old,
Will never forget a day in May
As she watched a horrible scene unfold.

She was in class when a shooter entered
And massacred kids before her eyes.
The weapon that he used was the type
That spews bullets that pulverize.

To save herself, Miah thought fast.
To trick the killer, she tried to pretend
That she was dead, and that she did
By smearing herself with the blood of a friend.

Perhaps her decision saved her life.
She is lucky to still be alive.
But nineteen other children and two
Teachers sadly didn't survive.

What are lawmakers going to do?
Will they be among the ones
Who truly believe deep down in their hearts
That kids are more important than guns?

-by Bob B (6-10-22)

Technology is a blessing at times,
And yet it's also a curse.
Hackers and scammers glom onto it with
A glee that's sick and perverse.

You always have to take precautions
And be on your guard in case
A demon is out there lurking behind
A corner in cyberspace.

That's a hassle, or course, but frankly,
It's also a hassle when
Programs and apps keep being updated
Over and over again!

I just get used to how one works,
Which takes me a while to do,
When all of a sudden an update occurs,
And I have to start anew.

Sometimes the features I used to like
On both my computer and phone
No longer exist. Why can't they leave
Well enough alone?

I'm not a Luddite, by any means,
And change one can't dismiss;
But, app designers, please have pity;
I'm getting too old for this!

-by Bob B (6-7-22)