Saturday night, November 19:
A gunman entered a bar
And started shooting at those who were present,
Leaving a somber scar

On many lives, for five were killed;
Their lives can't be replaced.
Such a shooter lives with hatred
And anger interlaced.

Nineteen others were injured there.
Their lives will never be
The same again, for they'll live with
That dreadful memory.

The patrons used to consider the club
A place where they could feel
Safe and secure with being themselves--
A place where they could be real.

No longer will that be the case.
The LGBTQ
Community has once again
Seen malice flourish anew.

Vicious words and violent speech
Have gotten out of hand,
And people lose their humanity when
The fires of rancor are fanned.

Hatred comes in many forms
And leaves a nasty smirch
On all of us, and sadly it
Is often taught in church.

-by Bob B (11-22-22)

A massive field of energy
With quantum fluctuations:
That is how it all began,
From all indications.

And then the Big Bang came about,
Giving birth to us,
And energy became transformed
Into matter. Thus,

We are beings who go way back
Into a distant past.
Over 13 billion years--
Before the die was cast.

Within that scheme, planet Earth
Is relatively young,
And many of the scientists'
Songs remain unsung.

No one knows for certain why
It all was orchestrated.
We ALL seem quite unique, and yet
We're ALL somewhat related.

Billions of years, collapsing stars:
So difficult to grasp.
The vastness of the universe
Makes us stop and gasp.

-by Bob B (11-20-22)

Mr. Trump, for many years
We've watched you disregard the rules.
But tell us: what do you take us for--
A groveling, ignorant bunch of fools?

Making an early campaign announcement
For you, of course, is apropos,
And surely it is a way for you
To rake in tons and tons of dough.

You love the spotlight. Yes, you do.
But, frankly, that should give you pause,
For don't you realize that what
The spotlight does is point out your flaws?

Because of your lies, the nonsense you spout,
And your general lack of humility,
People see you less as a help
And more as a threat or liability.

We know that you have always carried
A hey!-it's-all-about-ME card,
But running for president doesn't give you
A get-out-of-jail-FREE card.

Investigations will still go on
Despite your bold but feeble attempt
To skirt the laws from which no one--
Not even YOU--should be exempt.

You and your cohorts, such as Bannon,
Will take your donors for a ride.
All we can say is, "Nice try, Trump.
Good luck finding a place to hide."

-by Bob B (11-16-22)

(This poem could be sung to the melody of Rodgers and Hammerstein's song "Climb Every Mountain” from THE SOUND OF MUSIC.)

Vote Democratic!
Hear now my plea.  
More’s at stake than merely
Our economy.

Vote Democratic!
Let freedom thrive.
Democratic values
Must be kept alive.

A candidate who
Tries to push Trump’s Big Lie
Is not right for the job.
You will see by and by.

Vote Democratic!
May hearts be stirred.
Sing the song of freedom.
Let your voice be heard!

Our rights are at stake,
Like the freedom to choose.
People must realize
We have so much to lose.

Vote Democratic!
May hearts be stirred.
Sing the song of freedom.
Let your voice be heard!

-by Bob B (10-17-22)

In Austria, where I was raised,
A girl like me was highly praised
For entertaining folks at court with song.
But ever since I've been in France,
I barely get a second glance.
Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

The rumors fly; they say of me
That I spend far too lavishly
And I should go back home where I belong.
If you were tied to Louis, you
Would know why I do what I do.
Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

And so if I say "Fiddlesticks!"
To those who scorn my politics,
I add, "Just wait and let me sound the gong."
But people keep on splitting hairs,
Accusing me of cheap affairs.
Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

What is there to hide
Besides my wounded pride?
How COULD they be so mean
To send me TO the guillotine?

I hear that people didn’t take
It well when told to eat some cake
Instead of bread; that didn’t please the throng.
A few faux pas and folks see red
And smear your name and want your head!
Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

-by Bob B (9-17-22)

Do people tell you that you have
An RBF by any chance,
And when you're in their company,
You find that many look askance?

Having such a face might not
In the long run be so bad.
People just aren't sure if you
Are happy, bored, upset, or mad.

In fact, with an RBF,
Your ****** skin needs much less care
Because with fewer smiles or frowns,
Your face shows fewer signs of wear.

Our happy, smiling, laughing, frowning,
Or scowling faces can, I guess,
Have an expressive look right now
But soon become a wrinkled mess.

You've surely heard of Bette Davis,
The actress of the stage and screen.
When it comes to RBFs,
People say she was the queen.

Some don't like the expression at all.
When they hear it, ooh, they lose it.
That's why I, of course, must say
That I would never, ever use it.

-by Bob B (9-8-22)

°Resting ***** face

Take a stand for democracy
When you go to the polls.
Watch out for the shenanigans
Of Right extremist trolls.

Pay attention to candidates'
Records from the past.
Often they will lie and say
Their views have been recast.

Watch out for the ones who cheat,
Pretending to be fair.
Once you vote them in, they will
Devour you in their lair.

Be aware of hypocrites
Who smile but keep their sights
On any tactic they can use
To threaten women’s rights.

Do not vote for those who don’t
Have YOUR interests at heart.
Their loyalties to wealthy donors
Play a giant part.

Vote for those whose messages
Are reasonable and not
For those who let conspiracy theories
Color every thought.

Vote for those who want to keep
Democracy afloat,
And not for those who go all out
To make it harder to vote.

Vote for those who do not condone
Violent measures to gain
Power to toss our democratic
Values down the drain.

Take a stand for democracy;
It needs you more than ever.
When demagogues say, “Vote for me!”
Tell them, “Never! Never!”

-by Bob B (9-3-22)