Putin's year-long war continues
To batter Ukraine--to ****, to destroy.
The autocrat's reasons for being there
Are definitely a political ploy.

Killing civilians while also attacking
Ukraine's infrastructure as well,
The Russians are bent on total destruction.
Where this will go is hard to foretell.

And Russian sympathizers here
Join in with Putin's sing-a-long.
Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis,
Claims that Putin's done nothing wrong!

Who can tell where DeSantis gets
His false information and mistaken views?
Probably from too many incorrect
Podcasts and also from watching Fox News.

While Russia ramps up its fierce attacks,
Ukraine will fight to the bitter end.
Here's a reminder for those who've forgotten:
Putin, folks, is NOT our friend.

We pledged our support for Ukraine, and so
For the sake of freedom, we MUST follow through.
Condoning Putin's atrocities
Would certainly be the wrong thing to do.

-by Bob B (2-21-23)

George and Martha°--what a couple!--
Blurring the lines between truth and illusion,
Undoubtedly aided, of course, by the *****
Which loosens their tongues as they drink in profusion.

Attacking, needling, going for the jugular--
Oh, the vicious games they play,
Going at each other, and also pulling
Other people into the fray.

Must truth and illusion be so hard
To distinguish between and cause despair?
Do we rely on illusion when
Facing the truth is so hard to bear?

How destructive that can be!
It's obvious that things will go bad,
And we can relate to Martha's words:
"George and Martha: sad, sad, sad."

The truth is there if we dare to seek it.
It isn't something we ought to eschew.
Are you afraid of Virginia Woolf?
If so, then you should know what to do.

-by Bob B (2-20-23)

°From Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

The race continues--a race that's been
On the track for a number of years
To see who can be the most obnoxious
And earn the loudest misapplied cheers.

For the longest time we've seen
Donald Trump taking the lead,
But Ron DeSantis° and George Santos°°
Without a doubt are picking up speed.

Who can tell more lies than the others,
Pour more salt in the nation's sores,
Support the most exclusive laws,
Or perpetrate more culture wars?

Being on the right side
Of history should be a goal.
Each of the three men mentioned above
Sadly, though, has sold his soul.

Other runners aren't far behind.
They are almost as loathsome, as loud.
None of the racers realize
That winning this race should not make them proud.

For the moment, DeSantis and Santos
Are trailing Trump, but by and by,
Will one of the them pull ahead and win,
Or will it be a three-way tie?

-by Bob B (1-20-23)

°Governor of Florida
°°U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district

It’s fine to be religious,
But let’s be realistic.
When folks misuse religion,
It makes me go ballistic--

Especially when they assert
That God uses forms
Of punishment, such as
Earthquakes, floods, and storms

To make transgressors pay
For "evil" things they've done.
They must get under His sin.
(How's that for a pun?)

But in all seriousness,
Nature acts alone--
Without divine interference--
And has a "mind" of its own.

Nature doesn't distinguish
Between the sinful and pious.
Humans are the ones
Who have a definite bias,

Such as cherry pickers
Who like to concentrate
On finding quotes in scriptures
To justify their hate.

Moral judgments are NOT
One of Nature's features.
Frankly, that is more
The realm of certain preachers.

Many people believe
In God and sin, and yet
They don't tend to use
Religion as a threat.

Whatever your beliefs,
Put them to proper use.
Don't cave in to nonsense,
For that's religious abuse.

-by Bob B (1-16-23)

This is January 6.
Just two years ago today
Mobs of insurrectionists
Made an ugly, brutal display:

They stormed the U.S. Capitol
All because of a president's lie--
An EX-president now, that is,
Who hasn't stopped his attempts to deny

Election results from 2020.
Oh, and his supporters still
Travel south to kiss his ring,
Sing his praises, and bend to his will.

He doesn't care whose life he threatens
When making scathing, untruthful remarks.
He doesn't care what kind of damage
One of his dangerous comments sparks.

So how far have we come since then--
Since the day of the insurrection?
There has been an investigation,
And there has been a midterm election.

Still too many election deniers
Have seats in Congress and fan the flames
Of discontent, by pushing falsehoods
And making truly obnoxious claims.

The main culprit lives in his mansion,
Entertaining extremists and kooks
And thinking that he is above the law.
His foes still get his constant rebukes.

People have come forth to speak.
Folks have been convicted of crimes.
Democracy, when under attack,
Must strive to survive such scary times.

Praise to those who have spoken out,
Undaunted by threats, unafraid.
When ALL have been held accountable,
Then REAL progress will have been made.

-by Bob B (1-6-23)

My memories give me a great deal of comfort,
And every single one of them mends
My heart, which suffers from the loss
Of family, relatives, and friends.

Ah, those glorious days we spent
Together as we journeyed through life,
Sharing love, laughter, and cheer,
And sometimes struggles through storm and strife.

Lifetimes have varied--some were cut short
Long before we'd ever expected.
They are considered short stories
Among life's stories that we've collected.

Others have been more fortunate.
Their lives are Russian novels, I'd say.
They lived through multiple generations--
Their skin grew wrinkled; their hair turned gray.

Some folks plan to reunite
With loved ones for all eternity.
Others are more inclined to believe
The idea: whatever will be, will be.

Of course, we'd rather have the departed
With us, and in a way they are.
The light of their being shines on us
As does the light of a distant star.

Therefore, take comfort in memories--
A gentle balm that after a while
Will ease your anguish, lessen your pain,
Dry your tears, and make you smile.

-by Bob B (1-4-23)

I think a lot of progress could be made
If certain people were not so afraid
To come up with what COULD be a solution
And say it is a New Year's resolution.

The January 6 investigation
Explored how mobs of misfits shook this nation.
Trump's indictment for his contribution
Should be someone's New Year's resolution.

Politicians when they're making laws
Have donors who give money for a cause.
That's equivalent to prostitution.
Make fixing that a New Year's resolution.

House Republicans are out to get
Anyone whom they see as a threat.
When THEY'RE in charge, they threaten prosecution.
Vote them out: a New Year's resolution!

Some states make it hard for us to vote.
To stop that we must find an antidote.
Such a task will not be Lilliputian.
But that could make a New Year's resolution.

Climate change is getting worse each day.
If we don't act, we're going to have to pay.
We should want to see its diminution.
Let's make that a New Year's resolution.

So think of all the things that we could do
To make conditions great for me and you.
It all boils down to finding good solutions
And making them our New Year's resolutions.

-by Bob B (12-31-22)