The account that follows fills me with sadness--
Sadness and anger at the same time.
Oftentimes a draconian law
Can itself be a crime.

A mother, Amber Nicole Thurman,
Because of Georgia's abortion "solution,"
Died because her doctors wouldn't
Treat her, fearing prosecution.

Unexpelled fetal tissue
Required attention--a D&C.°
Thurman had developed sepsis.
They had to move ASAP.

But because of Georgia's laws,
The doctors, afraid of going to jail,
Waited far too long to act.
Thurman's organs had started to fail.

When the doctors finally
Performed the procedure, it was too late,
Thanks to the strict and narrow-minded
Laws affecting the folks in that state.

Governor Kemp was thrilled when the state's
Abortion ban went into effect.
What other anti-freedom laws
Will Georgia try to resurrect?

Whether to end a pregnancy
Is not an easy decision, but still,
Women should have the right to decide
If it should be by procedure or pill.

Applying loaded words such as "******"
To women and doctors is simply wrong!
Some lawmakers want us to think
That we are weak, but they are strong.

In their attempts to limit women's
Choice, they think that they have won,
While Amber Thurman leaves behind
A six-year-old motherless son.

-by Bob B (9-18-24)

°dilation and curettage, a surgical procedure that involves removing tissue from the ******

Some folks think that God is Love--
A concept that is much revered;
Other people say that he's
An elderly man with a long, white beard.

Some say he is strict and vengeful,
Ready to banish sinners to hell;
Others say he is merciful,
Unless you are an infidel.

There are many people on Earth
Who believe that gods are many;
There are also people on Earth
Who don't believe that there are any.

Many monotheistic people
Firmly believe that God had a son.
They reconcile their one-God view
By saying the TWO are really ONE.

The gods of polytheistic folks
Also have offspring--babies galore.
When you believe in multiple gods,
There is always room for more.

Some folks say God's NOT a he,
But maybe a she or even an it;
And many say you MUST believe
Or end up In a fiery pit.

Some believe that God is Nature,
Which boils down to THAT which IS.
Then should Nature's hand towel be
Marked with "ITS" or "HERS" or "HIS"?

Some believe that God's impatient,
Too demanding, and quick to condemn;
And there are those who truly believe
That God communicates with them.

Those who "talk" to God are not
Necessarily addle-pated;
But those who say God talks to them
Maybe should be medicated.

Some say that their sacred scriptures
Prove their god or gods exist.
Of course, all those writings prove
Nothing to an atheist.

No one knows for sure if God
Is or isn't a human invention.
The best we can do is say God is
Beyond our human comprehension.

-by Bob B (9-13-24)

The Trump v. Harris TV showdown
Had long been anticipated,
And Trump's usual windstorm of lies
Continued to blow unabated.

I saw a text by a friend who wrote,
"That was amazing. Wasn't Trump great?"
I had to ask, "Were she and I
Both watching the same debate?"

Trump repeated again and again
His strange and false information
Regarding our economy,
Roe v. Wade, and immigration.

He couldn't speak on policies
Or even describe his healthcare plan.
Refusing to look at Harris, he looked
More like a weak, pitiful man.

When talking about a world leader
Who sang his praises, what did he do?
He referred to Viktor Orbán--
A demagogue, through and through!

Harris spoke of child tax credits,
Job creation, business assistance,
Energy plans, women's choice,
Moving forward, and coexistence.

True, a couple of times she did
Sidestep her questions; that I admit.
For Trump, that is par for the course.
And when he's pressed, he throws a fit.

How could any voter be
Undecided when it's so clear
Who is fit to lead us forward
Toward a hopeful, new frontier?

-by Bob B (9-11-24)

Watch out, childless cat ladies!
This is as crazy as it gets:
JD Vance says migrants who
Shouldn't be here are eating our pets.

Republicans continue to push
A giant disinformation campaign--
One that makes conscientious
People ask: "ARE THEY INSANE?"

Throwing spaghetti at the wall,
They say, "Whatever sticks will do"
And hope that with their tactics they
Can stir up fear in me and you.

If there's a way that they can create
A fear of immigrants, they will try it.
It's the old scapegoat idea
That they are pushing. They hope you'll buy it.

And many of these Republicans
Have taken their giant erasers out
In order to erase our past,
Cause confusion, and bring up doubt.

To rewrite history is their goal.
They want to ignore our racist past.
Historians are wrong, they say.
The truth is out, at long last.

Russian asset Tucker Carlson,
Embracing Holocaust deniers,
Is touring the country with JD Vance,
Spreading poison and looking for buyers.

They insists that the Holocaust
Was principally a Jewish hoax,
Created with the intention to
Defame white Christian folks!

Voters have to realize
How dangerous these nuts can be
And how with power in their hands
They're a threat to democracy.

-by Bob B (9-10-24)

(Do you know the 1958 Sheb Wooley song "The Purple People Eater"? Here is a poem/song version for 2024.)

Well, this strange phenomenon came walking our way
With a deep orange glow. Boy what a day!
'Twas the weirdest creature you ever could see.
It looked like an orangish freedom hater to me.

It was a big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
(Big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.)
A big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
NOT so fun to see! (Loud mouth?)

So he came to this land to spread all of his hate
And he told people here that he would make them great.
He also said he's the chosen one!
His first time here was a mere dry run!

It was a big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
(Big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.)
A big ol', foul-mouthed, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
'Twas so weird to see! (Big old?)

We asked the orangish freedom hater, "What's your plan?"
Then HE said, "Doing what it takes to be a moneyman.
But what's more important is to meet my goal:
To kick out non-loyalists and be in control."

Well, boogeyman, Putin fan, lyin' orangish freedom hater,
Addled-brained, unrestrained, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
(He wears golf pants) lyin' orangish freedom hater.
Looks so strange to me!

He said he HAD many friends who could help him succeed,
And he asked us why we had a problem with greed.
He said that greed's a virtue and it must be clear--
That the government shouldn't stop a profiteer!

Well, boogeyman, Putin fan, lyin' orangish freedom hater,
Addled-brained, unrestrained, lyin' orangish freedom hater.
(He loves golf pants) lyin' orangish freedom hater.
Strange? You must agree! (Freedom hater?)

There's a problem with him, and, yes, it's sad to say:
It looked as though he would be here to stay.
"Move to Russia," we said--"a perfect country for you.
Let the Russian dictator make all your dreams come true."

-by Bob B (9-7-24)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67tKNEsJjTI

The Cult of Trump does NOT want all
Americans to vote UNLESS
They cast their vote for a certain person.
Who do you think that could be? GUESS!

WHAT they're saying is IF Trump doesn't
Win the election this fall, by God!
That means the whole election was rigged
Because of rampant voter fraud!

There's NO evidence whatsoever
Of massive voter fraud, and yet
Trumplicans are spreading the lie
That it is a major threat.

Immigrants who happen to be
Undocumented, they say,
Are registering to vote in hordes.
That's NOT occurring, by the way.

Spreading such vile misinformation
Is devious and downright wrong.
And yet election deniers continue
To keep on singing the same old song.

Now they're saying that President Biden
Is encouraging people to vote
Who aren't American citizens!
Another lie they want to promote.

Sowing distrust in our elections
Is one of their underhanded goals:
Jim Crow-era strategies
To keep Americans from the polls.

When people have to cheat to win,
Have they no decency? Have they no shame?
How sad for the country to see so many
People playing the Lying Game!

-by Bob B (9-5-24)

Oh, poor drone! Do you think
That life has dealt you a nasty blow
While you do what nature demands,
And while about your business you go?

The female bees--the worker bees--
Gather nectar and pollen. Not you.
You make no honey and have no stinger.
There's not a lot for you to do.

The workers feed you and keep you around
To help them heat or cool the hive.
But, ultimately, they have an excellent
Reason for keeping you alive:

You truly play a major role,
For you are there to mate with the queen.
But after you mate, you die, poor fellow.
Why must Nature be so mean?

The queen will mate with more than one,
But MOST drones never have the chance.
That fact that you must die after mating:
Is that something that's known in advance?

As winter approaches and food grows scarce,
The workers will say, “Farewell, drone!"
They will kick you out of the hive,
And you will perish on your own.

Ah, we humans also have
Our reasons for being, but by and by,
No matter what our role is on Earth,
Eventually, we ALL have to die.

-by Bob B (9-2-24)