The Ten Commandments on public buildings?
How does that not violate
Our Founding Fathers yearning for
The separation of church and state?

Still it's occurring across the country
In numerous states by folks who demand
That Christianity, of course,
Be blatantly given the upper hand.

Condemn such in-your-face proposals.
Religious freedom it is not.
It's ignoring the Constitution
Through a crafty religious plot.

And charging American taxpayers
To fund our country's religious schools?
It violates the First Amendment,
Thus breaking established rules.

The Ten Commandments? Then why not post
Muslim and Buddhist precepts that dwell
Within the hearts of many folks,
And lines from the Bhagavad-Gita as well?

And speaking of the Ten Commandments,
By the way--yes, the sum of them--
We have watched with no surprise
As Trump has broken every one of them.°

-by Bob B (4-4-25)

°Even killing? Consider how many people have died because of his disastrous policies and responses to public health crises.

Vandalizing people’s Teslas
Is wrong, terribly wrong,
Even though Musk sticks his nose
Where it doesn’t belong.

Instead, protest at dealerships
With messages loud and clear:
We are sick of Musk's involvement,
And we will persevere.

Trump has given him carte blanche
To ravage our country. We need
To stop these onslaughts on agencies
Because of far-right greed.

DOGE--Department of Greed and Evil--
Has gained access to
Personal records. Think of all
The damage it could do!

The little DOGE whippersnappers
Are also going after
Non-federal agencies!
This is no cause for laughter!

All the damage that they are doing
Is going to be hard to fix.
While people suffer, the president
And Musk are getting their kicks.

Find a protest nearest you.
Let your voice be heard.
Fight to save democracy,
And meanwhile spread the word.

-by Bob B (4-1-25)

Humpty Trumpty,
You have some gall.
Humpty Trumpty,
One day you'll fall.
Fawning supporters
And your business men
Will not put you back
Together again.

Humpty Trumpty,
Your sinecure
You think will last.
Don’t be so sure.
What you are asking
We simply won't do.
We bet they'll all be
Decisions you'll rue.

Humpty Trumpty,
What a con game!
Humpty Trumpty,
Have you no shame?
Stop all this talk of
America first.
Of human beings
You're CLEARLY the worst!

Humpty Trumpty,
You'll hear the call.
With great relief,
We'll watch you fall.
And even your lackeys
Who give you support
Will soon be saying,
"We'll SEE you in court!"

-by Bob B (3-31-25)

The MAGA-monster kept tearing down
Supports in every city and town.
The infrastructure of the nation
Was weakened by widespread strangulation.
The tactics that the monster applied
Were cruel, thoughtless, mean, and snide.
Stripping agencies to the bone,
He acted with glee and wasn't alone.
His loyalists, showing no opposition,
Helped him complete his heartless mission.

A land where freedoms once did abound
Became the monster's battleground.
He didn't merely ostracize
Subjects who didn't believe his lies,
But some he banished; some he would quell
And make their lives a living hell.
His minions sent out scary threats
And dampers were put on safety nets.
Such a demon, historians swore,
Had NEVER attacked this nation before.

The monster said, "I have to get tough.
Destroying one country just isn't enough.
Two countries to our north look inviting.
I must invade them. Oh, how exciting!"
People all over the world were in shock
And couldn't believe his absurd poppycock.
But once an idea entered his head,
He couldn't rest till he put it to bed.
When people suffered, it gave him pleasure.
His ghastly repulsiveness knew no measure.

Across the nation, people protested.
As desperate folks became more invested
In speaking their mind, the monster grew meaner
And felt his vindictive urges grow keener.
He called on his sycophants, saying "Distort
The TRUTH! I count on your total support!"
Politicians needed to fight
Along with the people to do what was right.
Hopes for relief appeared obscure.
How much more pain could the people endure?

(End of Part II)

-by Bob B (3-28-25)

PART ONE follows in case you missed it:

A Monster Story (Part I)

The MAGA-monster reared his head
To see how far his venom would spread.
"How dare they defy me!" he loudly exclaimed.
His hatred and anger could never be tamed.
Whether he told the truth or lied,
Whatever he said could not be defied.
If you chose to disagree,
His enemy was what you would be.
Loyalty was a major concern;
Those who withheld it were those he would spurn.

"I will show 'em!" he loudly roared.
His face turned orange as he brandished his sword.
His sycophantic subjects drew near,
Obsequiously kowtowing in fear.
He didn't care if someone should suffer.
His other concern: to take care of his fluffer--
One of the slimiest toadies around,
Who made the country his new battleground.
The two of them, salaciously smiling,
Had looks on their faces, oddly beguiling.

The monster's coffers were filled to the brim.
EVERYTHING was all about HIM.
He gave the semblance of caring, but no,
His woeful act was all bluster and show.
In other lands, to get more support,
He looked for other monsters to court.
Urged on by callous and heartless trolls
Who helped him achieve his nefarious goals,
The monster displayed an ego that grew
Taller than buildings on Fifth Avenue.

Where were the heroes who were not afraid
To challenge the monster and come to our aid?
Where were the champions, so brave and so deft,
To fight him from both his right and his left?
The MAGA-monster wielded his power
To make all the people around him cower.
A nation once full of hope and freedom
Had turned into an all-about-me-dom.
The selfish, contemptible, carrot-topped,
And cruel monster had to be stopped.

(End of Part 1)

-by Bob B (11-19-24)

MAGA - Make Americans Grovel Absolutely

Hey, fellow Earthlings, if you dare
To come to America, be aware
That things aren't what they used to be.
It's grown quite scary, believe you me!

Even if you have permission to stay,
You have to watch what you do or say,
Or there could be a knock on your door,
And friends won't see you here anymore.

Consider this for a real treat:
Dissent and you'll be swept off the street
By people in masks, most likely from ICE,
And flown far away! Isn't that nice?

You ask, "Doesn't due process exist?"
NOT if you're on Donald Trump's list.
Our country is just like a country that
Is ruled by a vicious autocrat.

If you mind your p's and q's,
There is a chance you still could lose.
Regulations are dwindling fast,
And so your chances of dying are vast.

It COULD be from something that makes you sick,
A crash, or a shooter. Take your pick.
Medical research? Trump won't read it.
According to him, none of us need it.

Our national security
Has become an obscurity.
Other countries can trust us no longer.
While we grow weaker, Putin grows stronger.

Trump is chasing away our friends
Instead of choosing to make amends.
He loves our adversaries, of course,
Because he wants to rule by force.

Surrounded by folks who think he's swell,
He's making life in America hell.
Far from common sense he's strayed
And now is killing our tourist trade.

To be so hated, he seems contented,
As he grows more and more demented.
I have to wonder why anyone would
Want to come here if he or she could.

-by Bob B (3-27-25)

Our country is being run by buffoons!
Once more I will shout it:
OUR COUNTRY IS BEING RUN BY BUFFOONS!
And there's no doubt about it.

Trump, of course, is the biggest one,
But people whom he appointed
Are up there with him, showing how badly
Our nation is disjointed.

Top officials conducted a chat°
Of sensitive information,
Which was a major security breach
And cause for consternation.

They used a device system that was
Clearly unclassified,
And later when the story came out,
They hemmed and hawed and lied.

How did the story come out? you ask.
Well, this is the scoop:
They included a journalist
In their discussion group!

None of the members even questioned
The journalist's identity.
Such behavior gives me no
Feelings of serenity.

When you have incompetent people
Placed in key positions,
Their unsafe decisions can lead
To dangerous conditions.

Their discussion put American
Lives in danger. Yikes!
They spoke of the country of Yemen and our
Military strikes.

One of the members was even in Russia!
That can't be excused,
For Russians have tried to hack into
The system the chatters used!

People should be up in arms!
No question as to why.
On hearing the story, Trumplicans merely
Shrug their shoulders and sigh!

-by Bob B (3-26-25)

°Those involved in the Signal group chat:
JD Vance (VP and Trump's attack dog)
Pete Hegseth (defense secretary)
Michael Waltz (national security adviser)
Stephen Miller (deputy chief of staff)
Marco Rubio (secretary of state)
John Ratcliffe (director of the CIA)
Tulsi Gabbard (director of national intelligence)
Steve Witkoff (envoy to Ukraine and the Middle East)
Scott Bessent (treasury secretary)
Brian McCormack (chief of staff of the National Security Council)
Susie Wiles (White House chief of staff)
Joe Kent (chief of staff to Gabbard)
Jeffrey Goldberg (editor in chief of THE ATLANTIC)

Distractions! Distractions! Trump LOVES to distract us,
And while he is doing it, he MAKES his own rules.
Whether it's Panama, Greenland, or Canada,
He keeps on rambling and thinks we are fools.

His LACK of coherence, his constant annoying
And petty retaliatory remarks
Are really quite worrisome. Watch how he caters
To all of his cronies and rich oligarchs.

To serve as his hatchet man, Trump has appointed
His billionaire buddy, and he by and large
Should take all the heat, but when questioned the liar
Says, No, Elon Musk really ISN'T in charge.

Constantly signing executive orders
That limit our rights and display his disdain
For truth and democracy, Trump doesn't care about
Those who are suffering. Look at Ukraine!

So while he's distracting us, Cabinet members
And others are tearing this country apart.
This is so obvious: he's Putin's puppet
And Putin is someone he'll never outsmart.

Medical research and Social Security:
Two of our programs now under attack.
And overseas aid and our trusty post office…
So many cuts that it's hard to keep track!

There are Trump voters who say they are shocked about
All of the damage that he has been doing.
But if they had only been paying attention,
They would have noticed that it had been brewing.

It is incumbent on all concerned people
To keep a clear focus and not take Trump's bait.
Despite what he says to us, he is most certainly
Hurting this country and WON'T make it great.

May all the protests increase their momentum.
May voices of protestors let it be known
That WE won't put up with the Trump-regime carnage.
The king of lies MUST be removed from his throne.

-by Bob B (3-25-25)

Musk is currently taking his chainsaw
To Social Security. Watch him cut!
We're on to you, Elon Musk!
You think the people don't know what's what?

Breaking a trusted agency
That serves the people: that's Trump's goal.
He has appointed Musk to be
The Terminator: that's Musk's role.

If they can wreck the agency,
Then they can rob it. Sorry, folks.
And all the talk of rampant fraud
Is nothing but a lie, a hoax.

They've been firing employees from
A system that is already stressed.
It's being tossed into the water
To sink or swim with no life vest.

With field office closings and no
Phone service, what do you do?
Musk is turning the system into
A troubling dilemma--a catch 22.

The Secretary of Commerce says
To stop the checks and see who complains!
Only the fraudsters will, he adds.
Does he think we have no brains?

Outraged is how we ALL should feel.
These are benefits people have earned
From payments made for many years,
And now the people are being burned.

Attend town halls! Demonstrate!
Speak or forever hold your peace!
Save Social Security!
The deadly attacks on the program must cease.

And by the way, if people are
Disgusted with Musk, that's no shock.
But if you have invested in Tesla,
You really ought to sell your stock.

-by Bob B (3-22-25)

We now live in a dictatorship!
Make no bones about it; it's true.
We thought we had a democracy,
But Trump has pulled a switcheroo.

Look at what the man is doing.
What's happening is not an UN-
But ANTI-constitutional
Power grab--second to none.

In order for him to achieve his goal,
He has pulled out all the stops.
Notice how often he's in the news
With dictatorial photo ops.

We are facing a crisis here,
With civil liberties under attack.
Trump will make an unlawful decree,
And then his toadies will pick up the slack.

Defying the courts and criticizing
Federal judges, he has bent
The rule of law, which he will flout
And always try to circumvent.

His obsequious friends in Congress
Sit by and watch this disaster take place.
Some say they don't like what he's doing
But will not tell him so to his face!

People, do not let this happen!
Do not fall for the tricks and lies.
We are rapidly losing our freedoms.
If you can't see that, open your eyes.

-by Bob B (3-20-25)

This is poem 1500
Of all the poems I catalogue
By date--including year--when I
Add them to my poetry blog.

After adding 1500
Poems to my résumé,
I am sure that readers wonder
If I have anything left to say.

There's ALWAYS something to write about.
Although as crazy as it may seem,
Many of my poems, I'd say,
Are variations on a theme.

Very straightforward is how I like them--
Not ambiguous, highbrow, or deep.
At times mine cause a controversy
When I choose to take a leap.

Different things will stimulate us.
For some of us it's reading and writing.
When we look at the universe
With wonder, every day's exciting.

As long as there are hypocrites,
Religious fanatics, thoughts to explore,
Natural wonders, current events,
And tyrants, I’ll have topics galore.

And so I'll keep on plugging along
Until my mind and body give out,
At which point I'll “lay down my pen,”
Without a whimper, without a shout.

-by Bob B (3-18-25)

Lately we're seeing so much nonsense
Happening in this Trump-ruled-land.
Life gets bleaker every day
As things get wildly out of hand.

--Sean Hannity--
Sean Hannity, speaking out--
Ignoring diplomacy and rules--
Says that Trump should bomb Iran.
One of those Armageddon fools?

--King Trump--
Trump regaled photographers with
His Evita pose with flair
At the Kennedy Center where he'd
Formerly made himself the chair.

--DEI and the Department of Defense--
Navajo code talkers are being
Removed from websites. Want to know why?
Pete Hegseth says the reason
Is all because of DEI.

They'd been key in World War II.
Their roles in the war are being displaced.
Unless we pass as white, straight males,
We are going to be erased.

--Lying Musk--
For buying votes of illegals, the Dems
Spent 200 billion bucks,
According to Musk, who's proving that
Trump and his team are lying schmucks.

--The Voice of Freedom--
The Voice of America is being
Gutted by Trump. If you think
That such a move is wise, then know
That Russia and China are tickled pink.

--Misuse of Authority--
A couple hundred immigrants
Were flown to El Salvador, we've learned.
Trump is using wartime authority
During peacetime, but he's not concerned.

He is showing us that he'll
Defy the courts as much as he can,
Confirming what we already knew:
That he's a defiant, despicable man.

-by Bob B (3-17-25)

Trump is out to destroy our country
While the Republicans stand by and gawk.
Jobs and programs to keep us running
Smoothly have been on the chopping block.

When he rambles on he says
The craziest things we've ever heard:
Annexing Greenland, Canada,
And Panama! That's absurd!

He is making enemies
Of all our allies and friends from the past.
Our reputation's been shot to hell.
The nation's prosperity cannot last.

Folks on Wall Street are going crazy
About the tariffs that make no sense.
When other countries push back, the great
Retaliator takes offense.

His spokespeople, Cabinet members,
And friends in Congress give their support
By lying to the rest of us.
Even his lawyers lie in court!

Our lives are even more in danger
From careless decisions and deadly diseases.
The Trump administration, however,
Doesn't care. It does what it pleases.

Any talk of reason with him
Leaves the maniac none the wiser.
It seems as though his buddy Putin
Is his dearest and closest adviser.

He's the most vindictive person
I've ever seen! No one can top him.
Congress, are you listening?
Somebody's going to have to stop him!

-by Bob B (3-14-25)

Many people don’t know this, but it’s
As clear as clear can be:
The whale was once a land mammal
That made its way back to the sea.

We all came from the sea, of course,
And crawled onto the sand.
Later some mammals perhaps became
Tired of living on land.

Fifty million years ago
Is when those mammals decided
To spend a lot more time in the water
For something that it provided.

Their descendants became aquatic--
Fully so. We know
All of this because of what
The fossil records show.

The features they needed for sea adaptation
Were not new and bold ones.
All that they required were
Modifications of old ones.

Their bodies adapted; they grew in size.
Seas and oceans, make way!
After millions and millions of years,
We have the whale of today.

(Whales and hippos are very close cousins.
Although it’s not as big,
The hippo's more closely related to
The whale than it is to a pig.)

The whale has tiny hindlimb and pelvic
Bones embedded in tissue.
It is as though its body is saying,
“I don’t need or miss you.”

But what is the largest mammal on Earth?
The blue whale is by far.
How would you like to give birth to a baby
That’s as big as a car?

O mighty king and queen of the ocean--
So worthy of being acclaimed!
So much pain we humans have caused you!
We should be ashamed!

Mighty ones, you have seen
The damage we humans can do,
While all along we should have known
How much we could learn from you.

-by Bob B (3-11-25)

Have you heard of Ichneumon wasps?
Be glad you're not a caterpillar.
You'd have to be on the lookout for
The Ichneumon wasp--a serial killer.

The wasp will find a caterpillar
And suddenly will quickly surprise it
By stinging it--not to **** it--
Only to shortly paralyze it.

She lays her eggs inside her victim,
Which will eventually serve as food
For the growing larvae within--
The wasp's hungry little brood.

The larvae start with digestive organs
And chomp away on their scrumptious repast,
Somehow knowing that they must save
The heart and nervous system till last.

They keep their caterpillar host
Alive as long as they can, you see.
People say insects can feel no pain.
Would the caterpillar agree?

As Earth's living creatures evolve,
The fight for survival doesn’t seem fair.
Some creatures suffer more than others,
But nature’s indifferent and doesn’t care.

Wasps have predators as well.
Sometimes they're losers; sometimes they're winners.
The prey that escape are the lucky ones.
The unlucky prey become predators' dinners.

-by Bob B (3-10-25)

LET'S all give three cheers for evolution.
Everybody, shout “Hip, hip, hooray!”
Because if it were not for evolution,
You and I would not be here today.

History-deniers keep on harping
About an argument called missing links.
Our fossil records clear that up, I tell them.
They're afraid to hear the truth methinks.

They don't like to hear that we are cousins
To other mammals in the world. The wimps
Cannot handle knowing that among
Our dearest, closest relatives are chimps.

"It's merely JUST a theory," they will say,
And make a face and grossly overreact.
"Because of all the evidence," I tell them,
"It's NOT a theory; it's, instead, a fact."

Around four hundred million years ago
Is when our ancestors so boldly crept
Out of the sea and made the land their home.
Is that so hard for people to accept?

We give ourselves a lot of self-importance
As **** sapiens, and that's absurd.
Just because our brains have gotten bigger,
We're not evolution's final word.

Molecular genetics is a wonder--
Something that we all should take to heart.
It can give us helpful information,
Such as when two species broke apart.

IF all living creatures are descended
From a single ancestor, then we
Share a close relationship with all.
The striking DNA code will agree.

We know the code itself is not what varies.
What varies is what's written in the code.
That's the actual genetic sequence.
I hope this doesn't make your head explode.

IF you think a god was the designer,
That's your business if that floats your boat.
"Intelligent" design is what they call it.
But that is not a view that I promote.

Preachers from their pulpits often challenge
Scientific facts and explanations.
They do not like natural selection
Because it doesn’t meet their expectations.

Although we're learning more and more each day,
Certain mysteries remain unsolved.
But look at all the beautiful and wondrous
Forms including us that have evolved.

So ONE more time: three cheers for evolution!
ONE more time let's shout "Hip, hip, hooray!"
If natural selection had not happened,
You and I would not be here today.

-by Bob B (3-8-25)

Dear President Zelenskyy,
Why the hell did the fates
Make Trump the president
Of these United States?

I guess that last November millions
Of people didn't vote,
So NOW for four more years we are
Stuck with that old goat.

Your Oval Office meeting didn't
Turn out well last week.
It's hard to get your point across
When Trump won't let you speak.

Certainly, you know that he's
Vindictive, rude, and crass.
He expected you, of course,
To kiss his giant ***.

His rudeness, incoherence, scorn,
And total disrespect,
Show that he's a man-child whose
Behavior goes unchecked.

He has NO compassion for
The people of Ukraine
And chooses--along with Putin--to treat
Your country with disdain.

We know that Russia attacked you, but
Trump is world-renowned
For telling lies and says it was
The other way around.

His idea of helping other
Nations--they will learn--
Is giving support if he receives
Something in return.

Protecting world democracies
Is not his thing, and that’s
Because he is enamored of
The world's autocrats.

Trump turns many folks against you;
Be that as it may,
Those who love democracy
Are with you all the way.

You're a hero to many of us
For how you've led your nation
Through Putin's war. Viva Ukraine!
You have our admiration.

Putin's forces must leave your country.
That should be the plan.
Free-world nations will do their best
To help you if they can.

People say that when we're creeps,
Karma's not our friend.
Hopefully, Trump and Vance
Will learn that in the end.

Sincerely,
Americans in favor of saving democracy

-by Bob B (3-3-25)

With Trump back in the White House, life
Gets more dangerous every day.
The safeguards that had been in place
Now are quickly slipping away.

Without U.S.A.I.D.,
Diseases in other countries will spread.
While Trump hits his golf ***** around,
We will all be counting the dead.

Viruses that were under control--
Such as measles--will be on the rise
As Trump's dubious medical "experts"
Stifle the truth and spread their lies.

The firing of CIA employees
And FBI employees as well
Endangers us as the agencies try
To function with limited personnel.

In the past, a security clearance
Involved a background check. No longer.
They're passed out as though they're candy.
Compliments of the powermonger.

Giving in to adversaries:
Another unprecedented matter.
Trump is handing over to Putin
Ukraine's head on a silver platter.

By weakening NATO, Trump is giving
Putin the chance to expand his "realm."
How can world peace survive
With such egomaniacs at the helm?

As the Republicans make cuts
To Medicaid, people will suffer.
If anyone is struggling now,
Just wait: things will get much tougher.

Cutbacks in programs for veterans
Endanger the lives of more of our vets.
But Trump and Musk don't give a ****.
They act without thinking and have no regrets.

As regulatory agencies
And authorities are no more,
Trump and his team of cut-throats are putting
More lives at risk than ever before!

Trump and attack dog Vance both show
The world how they are immature.
They think they're tough, but they are really
Cowardly, weak, and insecure.

How sad to have a president
Who is so willing to sell us out!
Is he going to destroy this country?
I have not a shred of doubt.

-by Bob B (3-1-25)

A virus is now infecting the nation.
It means that only the strong will survive.
This insidious virus is called
Project 2025.

Its carriers go by the names of Trump,
Musk, Vought, Bondi and all
Oblivious Americans
Who can’t see the writing that’s on the wall.

Trump lied through his rotten teeth
During his election campaign.
He said he knew NOTHING about the plan.
Lying, of course, is his domain.

Once in office, he began
To show an eagerness to embrace
The Project through his appointed team
Who now are putting the plan into place.

The virus is quickly spreading through Congress
As Trump's sycophants watch and swoon,
Afraid NOT to become infected
And showing that they were not immune.

The virus has horrible repercussions;
The consequences will be immense.
Most of what the infected are doing
Is damaging, hurtful, and makes no sense.

Christian nationalists are involved
Pushing their sick agenda as well.
Beware of their putrid policies.
Surely, you have noticed the smell.

Wisdom, knowledge, truth, and compassion
Are the primary antidotes.
Ah, one more: that everybody
In future elections gets out and votes!

-by Bob B (2-27-25)

History will tell the story
Of how the U.S. abandoned Ukraine--
Of how an American dictator rose
To power and left it out in the rain--

Of how he sidled up to the leader
Of Russia, and how his admin team
Carried out their Führer's plans
By fully supporting the tyrant's regime--

Of how the American dictator lied
And called Ukraine the true aggressor,
In total opposition to his
Wise and compassionate predecessor--

Of how the European nations
Continued to give Ukraine support
While the American bully's team
Continued to look for truths to distort--

Of how the American tyrant discounted
The pain that the Russians had inflicted
Upon the Ukrainian people, who
Held out longer than folks had predicted--

Of how the bully would help Ukraine
ONLY if there was quid pro quo,
For as a transactional tyrant, he didn't
Like it at all if someone said no--

Of how the dictator's sycophants
Maintained that democracy had failed,
Scoffed at the rule of law, and cheered
When liberties were being curtailed.

What will history say of the people
Who flatly refused the tyrant's demands--
Resisters on American shores
And caring leaders from other lands?

Maybe if all goes well, the cruel
And vicious tyrant will choke on his glory,
And leaders of democracy
Can change the outcome of history's story.

-by Bob B (2-25-25)

Utnapashtim, ancient in age,
Was paid a visit--which seemed quite odd--
From Ea, who thousands of years ago
Was a Sumerian water god.

The gods were angry with people on Earth.
As it turned out, the gripe that they had
Was simply because the humans were noisy
And NOT because they were evil or bad.

A god called Enlil suggested a flood.
It would be done, at his behest.
Once all that was over, he said,
The gods could get a good night's rest.

Ea told Utnapashtim to build
A giant boat. One of its features:
To be gigantic enough to hold
"The seed of ALL living creatures."

Utnapashtim finished his boat
Just before the rains began.
For six whole days and six whole nights
It rained nonstop, according to plan.

The only ones who survived the flood
Were those on Utnapashtim's boat.
Needless to say, they were all
Lucky that it had kept afloat.

The seventh day brought clear, calm weather.
A dove was released, but it soon returned.
Utnapashtim released a swallow.
When IT came back, too, he grew concerned.

"Hmmm," he thought. "Let's try a raven."
He sent forth a raven, and what do you know?
The raven did NOT return, for it
Had come across land. Way to go!

The huge boat came to rest upon
A mountaintop as waters receded.
All were relieved that the water god's
Urgent warnings had been heeded.

A god called Ishtar made the first
Rainbow appear across the sky
To serve as a promise of no more floods
And be a glory to meet the eye.

If you think that the story sounds
Familiar, well, you aren't alone.
The Israelites borrowed the story,
Changed it a bit, and made it their own.

-by Bob B (2-23-25)

Trump and his First Lady Musk
Are rapidly destroying this nation
While Republicans suffer from
A case of political constipation.

They sit in Congress and watch as Trump
Guts our agencies--one by one.
How much more irreparable
And careless damage is going to be done?

People's lives matter! Really!
But Trump and Elon Musk don't care.
You only matter to them if you
Happen to be a billionaire.

Our allies are being disregarded
And adversaries are being praised.
And still Republicans sit on their butts,
Useless, feckless, fickle, unfazed.

And Trump and Musk are spewing lies.
One would have to be a fool
Not to see how both of them
Favor autocratic rule.

Look at the deals they are making.
It's obvious what they are doing.
They just care about lining their pockets
And couldn't care less whom they are *******.

Spineless, gutless members of Congress,
Do your job. Let them know
That you stand for democracy.
Tell the tyrants where to go!

-by Bob B (2-20-25)

Well over 50 percent
Of human conceptions have their way
Of ending themselves. And so we see
Spontaneous abortions at play. 🤔

Most of these also happen before
The woman knows she's pregnant, which means
That for whatever reason there is
Something going on behind the scenes. 😉

Of course, to avoid a pregnancy,
Don't leave it up to happenstance.
Take the necessary precautions
To stop it from happening in advance. 👍

Wow! So many natural
Abortions! The number is far from small.
If God exists, then "he" must be
The biggest abortionist of all! 😮

-by Bob B (2-17-25)

(Thanks to Sam H.) 🙏

Among the many biblical myths,
My favorite is the story
Of Noah and his ark, which is
A borrowed allegory. 🤔

It's fun to imagine how Noah could manage
To fit into his boat
Two of every 8 million species
And keep his boat afloat. 🤣

There are folks around the world
Who have long insisted
That Noah and that gigantic ark
Actually existed. 😮

Somebody built a "replica,"
And people find it ducky
To visit it at the Ark Encounter
In the state of Kentucky. 🤪

Tour guides take groups to Turkey
To look for the ark each year.
If people spend their money on that,
One thing's crystal clear:

They are surely being fleeced.
Maybe they don't mind it.
But they should forget about seeking the ark,
For they ain’t gonna find it. 😉

-by Bob B (2-14-25)

(This poem can be sung to the melody of "Back in the Saddle Again" by Gene Autry and Ray Whitley.)

He’s BACK in the White House again.
Where HE can play God now and then.
Feeling SMUG 'cause he's immune,
He is STILL a base buffoon.
Trump's in the White House again.

He’s BACK in the White House once more.
This time he's worse than before!
Since our nation's less secure,
Who knows HOW we will endure?
Trump's in the White House again.

It's a shame how he
Managed to go free.
Trump’s in the White House again.
And we STILL don't know
How low he'll go.
Trump's in the White House again.

It's HARD to believe that he won.
The nonsense has barely begun.
All the CHAOS he creates
Is a nightmare for the states.
Trump's in the White House again.

Vengeance is what drives the man.
HE'LL ***** whomever he can.
And with Musk there by his side,
How much more can we abide?
Trump's in the White House again.

It's a shame how he
Managed to go free.
Trump's in the White House again.
And we STILL don't know
How low he'll go.
Trump's in the White House again.

-by Bob B (2-12-25)

OH! MY! GOODNESS! PEOPLE!
I cannot believe what I'm seeing.
Take a really good look around;
You will notice that reason is fleeing.

Legislators in North Dakota
Proposed a crazy resolution
That clearly conflicts with what has been
Written in our constitution.

They want the state to acknowledge that over
All the world, Christ is king!
That has a very definite
Anti-constitutional ring.

Misinterpreting Biblical quotes,
They try to justify their position.
I wouldn't be surprised if they
Will next propose an inquisition!

(By the way, a lot of Christians
Don't understand what the Bible is saying,
How and when and why it was written,
And how it was altered. That is dismaying.)

Our Founding Fathers strongly believed
In separating church and state.
To put a religion above all others
Is something we MUST repudiate.

Christian nationalists are trying
To make a theocracy of the U.S.
They need to study our history,
Open their minds, and decompress.

If they want Christ to be the king
Over ALL the world in THEIR minds, fine.
But writing it into law? No way!
That is going way over the line!

-by Bob B (2-11-25)

There is a little, tiny tapeworm;
Anomotaenia brevis it's called.
Many people have studied this creature--
Some are amazed; some are appalled.

Needing to find a way to survive,
This tiny tapeworm seeks a host.
As it turns out, the woodpecker
Is the host it likes the most.

Certain ants like to collect
Woodpecker droppings. Is that surprising?
They feed the droppings to their larvae.
Yuck! Not so appetizing!

The droppings containing tapeworm eggs
Give some ants the parasite.
When they grow up to be adults,
Their behavior is not quite right.

The non-infected ants still feed them,
But they laze around, refusing to work.
Maybe their new behavior doesn't
Let them know where dangers might lurk.

The way they act increases the chances
That woodpeckers will eat them for dinner.
The question that people might have is this:
Who is the loser and who is the winner?

The birds eat the ants, become infected,
And leave their droppings, whereupon
The ants will feed their larvae the droppings.
The tapeworm cycle goes on and on.

How living forms have thus evolved
To use and be used in such odd ways
Shows the wonders of evolution--
Wonders that never cease to amaze.

-by Bob B (2-11-25)

Abraham was sitting around
Minding his very own business when
His Lord spoke to him. You see,
They talked every now and then.

"Take your son up into the hills.
I know a place that's really nice.
And don't forget your dagger, Abe.
I'm hungry for a sacrifice."

So ol' Abe grabbed his son--Isaac--
And off they went, minding the Lord.
I guess there wasn't enough going on
And so the Lord was getting bored.

Once Abe found the perfect spot,
He laid some sticks upon the ground.
He was going to sacrifice
His son there on that little mound.

Isaac lay upon the sticks,
Silently, without thrashing.
His dad was leaning over him.
In his hand his knife was flashing.

Isaac put two and two together.
(You wouldn't have to be that smart
To know your dad was just about
To plunge a knife into your heart.)

Suddenly, the Lord said "Whoa!
I was kidding. Put down that knife.
Abe, I didn't mean for you
To put an end to Isaac's life.

"I was merely testing you.
Sorry about the little scare.
The two of you can go back home
And wash out Isaac's underwear."

Abraham found a ram in a thicket--
Sadly, an unlucky one--
And offered his Lord some roasted ram--
That instead of roasted son.

It doesn't sound to me as though
Abraham's god was on the level.
If gods are willing to traumatize
Kids like that, who needs a devil?

-by Bob B (2-10-25)

How sad when the president is an ***--
An ignorant, shameless buffoon;
A hypocritical, disrespectful,
Egomaniacal loon;

A nasty, dangerous, vengeful bully--
Corrupt, deceptive, and rude;
An anti-democratic tyrant--
Spoiled, obnoxious, and crude;

A faithless, abhorrent misogynist--
Malignantly narcissistic;
A mean, malevolent, cruel coward--
Racist and chauvinistic;

A hateful, dishonest, selfish fraudster--
An empty, soulless shell;
A xeno-, ****-, trans-…and ah!...
Islamophobe as well;

A nepotistic, hardhearted,
Ignominious brute;
A hostile, divisive, destructive loser
Of questionable repute;

A reckless, alarming imperialist;
A churlish, cult-leading fool;
An arrogant, irresponsible felon
Who is unfit to rule;

A smug, incompetent, bad-tempered ****;
The world's strongmen's pawn;
A lawless, deplorable, outrageous clown.
The list goes on and on!

-by Bob B (2-6-25)

DT:
Of ONE thing I must say that I am aware:
A marriage can be any person's cross to bear.
So that is why I put my trust in laissez faire.
And that’s how I survive.

My first wife frowned on my philandering.
I said that paparazzi were just slandering.
No way! she said. I was meandering.
And that's how I survive.

The situation then grew hairier.
And since there was no way to bury her,
I merely said, "I'll just unmarry her."
And that's how I survive.

There was a gal that I was with when I got caught.
In 1993 we tied the knot.
I think she had a certain liking for my yacht.
And that's how I survive.

My second marriage started out to be a blast.
But everybody knows that it didn't last.
Divorce for me was just a rebroadcast.
And that's how I survive.

Then I met this gorgeous pinup girl.
Talk about a beauty! Yes, a real pearl!
I thought that I should give this one a whirl.
And that's how I survive.

But everybody knows that a wedding ring
Won't STOP me if I feel I want to have a fling.
Fidelity is not a deal to which I cling.
And that's how I survive.

How long this one will last, well, no one knows.
Every marriage has both its highs and lows.
My wife's aware of what she can and can't disclose.
And that's how I survive.

I’ve a special tool, which--I must say--
Helps me keep both friends and foes at bay.
It happens to be called an NDA.°
And that’s how I survive.
Yes, that’s…how…I…survive.

-by Bob B (2-4-25)

°non-disclosure agreement

(In the musical PETER PAN, Captain Hook, in the song "Captain Hook's Waltz" by Jule Styne, Adolph Green and Betty Comden, boasts about his villainy. Here Donald Trump, who prides himself on being as obnoxious as possible, sings his version. The responses of his admin team are in parentheses.)

I'm the greatest ruler of all time.
Who was Mussolini?
(Nobody!)
Who was ******?
(Nobody!)
Who is Vladimir Putin?
(Nobody!)

Who's the greatest deceiver of all?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's the MOST shameless man in this dog-eat-dog world?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Expert at knowing how someone can dupe
Others by showing how low ANY dictator can stoop.
(He'll stoop!)

Who's the basest of bullies around?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's unpliable?
(You!)
Unreliable?
(You!)
Who do some think could be certifiable?
(You!)
And who couldn't care less if the rest of the world's in a slump?
(World's in a slump!)
(No one else but Donald Trump.)
…
Who's the neediest?
(Neediest!)
Who's the seediest?
(Seediest!)
Who's the greediest?
(Greediest!)

Who's the MOST expert fibber around?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's displaceable?
(You!)
Ineffaceable?
(You!)
Who rich oligarchs find irreplaceable?
(You!)
Who's the slimiest, snakiest, snarkiest, scruffiest grump?
(Scruffiest grump!)
(All bow down to the king!)
If you want you can kiss my ring.
(The con with a plan.)
I guess I'm your man.
(Donald)
Trump
(Trump! Trump!... Trump! Trump!)
Trump
(Trump! Trump!... Trump! Trump!)
Trump!

-by Bob B (2-3-25)

Obviously, Donald Trump
Couldn't care less about whom he hurts.
The heartless man apparently thinks
We're all getting our just deserts.

All of our lives are now in danger
As he installs his admin team--
Most of whom are incompetent
But blindly support the Trump regime.

He's fired people across the country
For having done their job. What's more,
He has become even more deranged
And more unjust than ever before.

His new tariffs on imports show
How he wants to maximize
His power by hurting other countries
And us as well as prices rise.

And then, of course, he bullies other
Nations if they do not comply
With HIS demands. We MUST speak up.
This situation is do or die.

Trump is out to show the world
That he's a strongman--lawless and cruel.
Hurt other people before they hurt you.
That's the Trumpian golden rule.

-by Bob B (2-2-25)

Curtis Yarvin--extremist blogger--
Is a real piece of work.
You'll find him on the Internet--
A place where many crackpots lurk.

He wants to dismantle the government
And force all government workers out
Through a plan that he calls RAGE°--
Something that he bandies about.

He claims that voting is now passé
And highly ineffectual.
He says he has a better idea,
This pseudo intellectual:

We should establish someone whom
He calls a “national CEO”--
In other words, a dictator.
He doesn't mince his words--oh, no.

Why do you think Trump is trying
To shut down federal agencies?
His blatant efforts to take control
Should put nobody's mind at ease.

And guess who's also been right there
In Yarvin's pocket all along:
JD Vance. He's singing the same
Scary, anti-democracy song!

They say our current Constitution
Is worthless and ought to be replaced.
In their eyes, our democratic
System should be laid to waste.

If people want to overthrow
Democracy, that's a good reason
For all of us to be alarmed.
That should be considered treason.

-by Bob B (1-30-25)

°Retire All Government Employees

Welcome back to Trumplandia, folks.
The people have decided
To put a man in the White House who wants
To keep the country divided.

Trump's more pompous, more brazen than ever--
Expecting all to kowtow.
If you thought he was bad before,
He's Trump on steroids now.

He is trying to micromanage
The country. That's his goal:
To stifle dissent and pressure supporters
To give him total control.

Filling federal agencies
With sycophants, he knows
He'll obtain undying support
From his Trumplican schmoes.

History is currently being
Rewritten. Say good-bye
To safeguards of democracy.
They're in short supply.

You say the country isn't racist?
Stop and look around.
Project 2025
Is getting off the ground.

Diversity has now become
A practice to assail.
You will get more privileges
If you're white and male.

Agencies must have the approval
Of Trump's administration
Before they are allowed to release
Pertinent information.

The concept of being fit for positions?
That's not Trump's concern.
It's ALL about WHAT you can do for him
Or how much money you earn.

Many folks now live in fear
From one day to the next
Of being deported when Trump's anti-
Immigrant muscle is flexed.

Trump knows how to manipulate people--
How to control and deceive them.
He knows that if he repeats his lies,
His people will believe them.

So welcome back to Trumplandia, folks.
If you're a tried and true
Bigot, racist, or xenophobe,
This is the place for you.

-by Bob B (1-26-25)

If other people said all the things
That Trump says, they would find
Themselves being carted away, for we
Would think that they had lost their mind.

But no, for some unhealthy reason,
Trump will say whatever he wants--
Whatever comes to his evil mind:
Jeers, untruths, attacks, and taunts.

He makes huge issues out of nothing--
Thinking he is Cool Don--
Instead of solving important matters
That we need to focus on.

He's still obsessed with trans issues,
Although trans people represent
A tiny percentage of folks in this country.
But Trump prates on and won't relent.

How can his fans sit there and listen
To all the lies of the Great Pretender?
He tells them their kids can go to school
And come home later a different gender!

When I hear him spout such nonsense,
I cannot help but utter an oath.
Anyone who believes such crap
Has to be crazy or stupid, or both!

-by Bob B (1-24-25)

Strongman Trump has pardoned his thugs.
All along that was his plan.
It's hard to contain one's disgust for such
A vile, shameless, malevolent man.

The thugs had stormed the Capitol.
Because of them, people are dead.
They weren't tourists spreading their love
As Trump in their defense has said.

Many were violent criminals:
Seditious conspirators--bold and proud--
Along with vicious cop assaulters.
Malicious vandals were there in the crowd.

We know that Trump has always had
The lowest standards for pardons ever.
Have we ever seen such a horrible
Abuse of the pardon power? Never!

Clemency for all these thugs?
He's just appealing to his base.
He says it's far too cumbersome
To study the matter case by case.

If any thugs want tours of the Capitol,
Lauren Boebert is taking calls.
Maybe they can show her where
They wiped their feces on the walls.

We hear that Trump has also invited
Some to the White House. Wouldn't you say
That THAT is a slap in the face to the injured
Officers who were there that day?

Strongmen pardon supporters who will
Perpetrate violence on their behalf.
"He thumbed his nose at democracy"
Should ONE day be Trump's epitaph.

-by Bob B (1-23-25)

Oh, how sad! Too many voters
Refused to listen to the warning.
Because of that, this day this year
Should be a national day of mourning.

We mourn the loss of what we know
Has truly made our country great,
For now we have a person in charge
Who wrote the playbook on how to hate.

A whiny child who cannot handle
Criticism. THAT is he.
If you want to work for him,
You MUST declare your loyalty.

He's no less vicious, no less selfish,
No less shameless, no less crass.
He loves how Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk,
And others line up to kiss his ***.

He says he stands for unity.
Do people really think he has changed?
His speech and actions show that he
Is no less divisive, no less deranged.

Watch as Trumplicans fall in line
And cave in to his ruthless threats
As he lays out his disastrous agenda,
Vindictive and vengeful, with no regrets.

Amazingly, there are voters
Who think the man was heaven sent!
A pathological liar and felon
Should not be our president!

And so we grieve for America.
What will it take to ease our fears?
What will it take for hope to return?
How will we get through these next four years?

-by Bob B (1-20-25)

Why do many religious folks
Tend to get their feathers ruffled
If people say they are atheists?
Why should atheists have to be muffled?

Atheists are often considered
The devil incarnate or evil unveiled.
They are attacked, their lives are threatened,
They're ostracized and even jailed--

Done in the "name of God," of course.
Oh, the reasons that people give
In countries all over the world where people
Refuse to practice "live and let live"!

Do we need a god to tell us
How to live or how to behave?
If I blindly follow dogma,
Don't I become religion's slave?

Constantly seeking, questioning,
Observing, expressing healthy doubt,
Exploring the many facets of life,
Discovering what life's about,

And learning how to sift through all
The knowledge that we humans have gained
Will help us put more focus on
Issues that can be explained.

Some things, yes, are inexplicable,
Mystifying, beyond our knowing.
A question we must ask ourselves
Should always be "Am I still growing?"

There ARE religious people who aren't
Threatened by what others believe.
Secure in their beliefs, they aren't
Fearful, brain-washed, and naïve.

They do not judge nonbelievers
And tell them they are going to hell.
Tempering their beliefs with love
Is what they do so very well.

And then there are the ones who feel
Compelled to express their condemnation.
They need to mind their OWN business
And worry about their OWN salvation.

If you as a nonbeliever are asked
Your position, a way to convey it
Is merely "I'm an atheist
And I am not afraid to say it."

-by Bob B (1-17-25)

We read that Jesus was a Jew--
A Palestinian Jew.
He was a poor itinerant preacher
And far from well-to-do.

A Jewish god was thus, of course,
The one to whom he prayed.
Not all, but many Jewish laws
Were ones that he obeyed.

He walked around with twelve disciples--
Also Jewish men--
Who, I guess, were probably
Considered "born again."

The twelve disciples felt he was
The Jewish Messiah, though he
Wasn't exactly what most Jews
Thought the Messiah would be.

To them the Messiah would be a hero
Whose praises they would sing
For being both a peacemaker AND
A powerful, conquering king.

The Jewish Messiah was going to bring
Justice to the land.
The strong Jewish nation would then
Have the upper hand.

They thought that he'd restore the nation
To its former glory.
They needed a powerful leader who
Would fit in with their story.

How could Jesus be their Messiah--
A man so scorned and rejected?
He COULDN’T have been the Anointed One
Whom they had expected.

It really does seem quite ironic
And also very odd
How a rejected Jewish Messiah
Became a Christian god.

-by Bob B (1-12-25)

Today I got
My booster shot.
I never had
A second thought.
Two shots first,
Then THIS makes three.
No, COVID's not for me.

Hi ** the derry o!
Vaccinations work and so
I've known since long ago:
Getting sick is not for me.

My booster shot
Protects me now.
The scientists
Should take a bow.
Viruses
Aren't fun, you see.
So, COVID's not for me.

You MIGHT not want
To get your shot.
It’s hard to un-
Derstand why not.
Experts say
That when we do,
It's best for me and you.

If only all
Would persevere
To help make CO-
VID disappear!
We’re in luck
For we have got
A safe, effective shot.

Yes, herd immunity:
We know what that's all about.
Let’s stand in unity.
Get your booster shot and shout,
"Hey!
I got my shot today!"

-by Bob B (10-25-21)

°This poem could be sung to the melody of the 1940 song "I’ve Got No Strings" by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for the Disney film PINOCCHIO. If you don’t know the song, check it out on YouTube. Knowing the melody helps with the rhythm of the poem.

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

"Dear Donald Trump, my friend,
I bet your patience is wearing thin.
Because of your democracy,
Investigations are closing in.

"Since I can use my magic
To make people disappear,
Such investigative threats
Are never going to happen here.

"From watching your revolving-door
Administration, I can see
That you, like me, expect one thing
Above all others: loyalty.

"What is all this talk about
Ties with Russian oligarchs?
Don't your people realize that
Our bites are much, much worse than our barks?

"Although I appreciate
What you did during your campaign--
The helpful steps you took to soften
Your stance on giving aid to Ukraine--

"We still have a ways to go.
But one thing that I have to say
Is you have been good about
Respecting our little NDA.°

Lifting sanctions would be a big help.
I thought that maybe a good incentive
Would be our many ICBMs,
For you know we're very inventive.

But, no, let's not talk about threats.
If your cards are rightly played,
You will be as strong as I.
In other words, you'll have it made.

Ah, silence is golden, no?
One thing is sure as shootin':
I'd hate to have to spill the beans
'Bout you know what. Your friend, Putin.

-by Bob B (4-2-18)

°non-disclosure agreement

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Sometimes you see her admiring herself
In the mirror that's hanging next to the shelf.
And when she does it, oh, how she shines!
Is that, dear cat, how you practice your lines?
She seems not to care if we pay attention,
But maybe right here I ought to make mention
That being an actress, she's disinclined
To always reveal what's going on in her mind.
And she'll never, never tell you her age--
Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

She says, "You know…I'm not one to cuss,
But when I am hungry, I WILL make a fuss."
Yes, she can certainly put on a scene
And act as though she's an importunate queen.
She says, "My dears, if I'm weak or mild,
I'll never drive the audience wild."
That critical scene is repeated each night--
A regular tour de force all right.
Yes, it's best to try to assuage
Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

Her eyes were surely her greatest feature;
She THUS scoured the town for a drama teacher,
"Who," she says dolefully, "told me one night he
Could make me a star. ME: Aphrodite!"
But as it turned out, ol' Mr. Mittens
Made her instead a mom of eight kittens.
"But," she says, "THAT'S between you and me.
You know how I like my privacy."
It's good to always be on the same page
With Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

One thing you learn is for her it's the norm
To act a bit slighted when asked to perform.
She must be totally in the mood
Or else she behaves in a manner subdued.
And heaven help you if you are neglectful
Of if her audience is disrespectful.
She'll exit the room like a "cat" out of hell,
And you may not see her for quite a long spell.
You never want to see her rage--
Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

She sighs and says, "It's such a shame that
Few playwrights write good roles for a cat.
My friends say--when they see me upset--
'Commercials might be a better bet.'
My talents, however, as you might have guessed,
Best fit the stage. But now I must rest."
With that she lifted her nose in the air
And strutted out of the room with great flair.
It's always nice: advice from a sage
Like Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

-by Bob B (1-24-20)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

He died at seventy years of age;
His words had poisoned a nation.
Much of what he ranted about
Was total fabrication.

White identity politics:
He set a blueprint for that.
And when he criticized liberals,
He upped the thermostat.

Race-baiting for him was certainly
Par for the course.
Constant attack was his strategy,
With no hint of remorse.

Being politically INcorrect
To show his point of view
And crossing the line of propriety
Were what he loved to do.

True he had his loyal fans
Who would never condemn
His bigotry and conspiracy theories.
What is wrong with them?

The Capitol insurrectionists,
Naturally, he'd spout,
Were NOT thugs, but patriots!
Figure that one out.

When giving him the Medal of Freedom
Despite his divisive ways,
Trump insulted all the people
Really deserving of praise.

There are some who’ll jump for joy,
Knowing that Rush is gone.
But sadly all his vitriol
Continues to live on.

-by Bob B (2-18-21)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

OFF TO CANCÚN

So if you're a U.S. Senator
And your state is besieged by cold,
Extreme weather, putting the state
In a catastrophic stranglehold,

With power outages, houses flooding
From bursting pipes, people dying,
Shortages of food and supplies--
The situation terrifying--

How do you help your constituents?
How do you show them that you are in tune
With all their pain and misery?
I know: why not fly to Cancún?

Ask Ted Cruz. That's what he did.
He did it for his kids, he said.
Why suffer here when he could
Play on a Mexican beach instead?

Actually, he cut his trip short,
And flew back home earlier than planned,
Only because he'd gotten caught
And had to leave the sun and sand.

Cruz reveals how little he cares
About the people and dodges attacks.
In a crisis, leadership matters.
And that is something the Senator lacks.

-by Bob B (2-19-21)

FLY ME TO CANCÚN

(This poem can be sung to the melody of the song "Fly Me to the Moon" by Bart Howard.)

Fly me to Cancún
So I can play upon the sand.
Let me get away from Texas.
Cold I can't withstand.
I want to play…in the sun.
I want to play….Who will miss me?

People in my state
Should understand what it's about.
I don't think the government
Should have to bail you out.
Just blame the Dems; they're the cause.
Yeah, blame the Dems, and their laws.

Anyone who wants
To leave can do it if they choose.
I am being attacked
Just because my name's Ted Cruz.
Some people say I'm not fair.
In simple words…
In simple words
I don't care.

-by Bob B (2-19-21)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Every day it seems that we hear on the news
That someone else has a few loose screws:
Anti-vaxxers causing disruptions on our planes.
Trying to be obnoxious, they go to great pains.
Defying mask rules, they are picking fights,
Intimidating passengers and delaying flights.
Physically and verbally abusive, they don't care
If they cause disturbance on the ground or in the air.

Foolishly trying to assert their independence,
They spit at, and yell at, and curse at flight attendants,
Who must bear the burden of all the lunacy.
It also is a serious threat to you and me.
Recently, we've heard that a certain nutcase
Punched a flight attendant right in the face,
Knocking out two teeth! Another commandeered
The plane's PA system. Boy, was that weird!

Some unruly passengers have so turned up the heat
That they have had to be duct taped to their seat.
To spread misinformation about our vaccines,
Some of them resort to using any means.
Screeching and preaching, expressing their defiance
Of epidemiologists who rely on science,
Some of these crazies seem to be intent
On being as obnoxious as the former president.

It's so sad to see that we have come to this.
It makes a person wonder what has gone amiss.
Why do some people choose to reject
Behavior toward others that involves more respect?
Fools! They show a lack of common sense.
Fools are the ones who come to their defense.
Fools! I can't think of any other word--
Fools!--to describe behavior so absurd.

THEY'RE FOOLS!

-by Bob B (10-18-21)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Twenty twenty-one is now
Behind us and we're moving on.
But sadly we are starting out
This brand new year with Omicron.

Concerned individuals
Observe the facts and then implore us
To put our heads together to deal
Wtih challenges that lie before us:

Catastrophes from climate change,
Threats to our democracy,
COVID variants running rampant,
Distrust and religious hypocrisy….

Also, wherever you look these days,
You'll notice many a trend-setter--
The toxic, obstreperous type who feels
The more obnoxious you are the better.

Lies spread like wildfire.
Far too many people pursue them
And let them color their fantasies
Instead of trying to see right through them.

And so we have a giant task:
To spread the truth and let it guide us--
To put more faith into checking facts
And not let fallacies divide us.

So that's my VOW if I may have
A vow for 2022--
Mainly because relying on reason
Is surely the proper thing to do.

-by Bob B (1-1-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

January 6 last year
Wasn't just your average day;
Instead, it was one in which
Dark forces were put into play.

We watched in horror as violent thugs
Stormed the Capitol, leaving behind
A mass of desecration and death,
Reflecting their brutal state of mind.

Capitol police were not
Prepared to handle the riotous crowd--
A crowd eager to show that a peaceful
Transfer of power would not be allowed.

Incited by Trump and even members
Of Congress, the mob chose to defy
The results of a fair, secure election
And promulgated Trump's Big Lie.

Since then, efforts have been made
To gaslight the day's shocking events
By people trying to alter the facts
And siding with the malcontents.

Indictments and investigations
Continue, and the more we learn,
The more we’re aware of things that make
A caring person’s stomach turn.

We MUST insist on the rule of law.
Although the task seems insurmountable,
All who were involved in any
Manner must be held accountable.

Some will celebrate the sixth,
And if they do, shame on them
For seeing the violent insurrection
As something to praise and not to condemn.

If our democracy survives,
May future observers continue to see
The events of January 6
As a blemish on our history.

-by Bob B (1-6-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Have you ever heard of dyscalculia?
It's often the culprit in situations
When people have great difficulty
With mathematical calculations.

I guess it's common for some of us
To learn that math is not our domain,
But having dyscalculia implies
A certain miswiring within the brain.

I read in multiple languages,
But math has always been hard for me.
There was only ONE math class
I liked, and that was geometry.

But algebra class? No way! Forget it.
We didn't get along at all.
I took the required classes and passed,
But often it was a very close call.

Maybe some of us live on the spectrum
That goes all the way from mild to severe.
Fortunately, I didn't have to
Use heavy math throughout my career.

I've always loved to deal with words;
Languages I find exciting.
But word problems, fractions, numbers,
And calculations are uninviting.

Although I can handle simple math,
My trouble with major problems lingers.
But, shhh!, please don't tell anyone
That sometimes I still will count with my fingers.

-by Bob B (2-10-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

This is a tale of a ruler;
Vladimir Putin's his name.
Unlike a man with a conscience,
This one has no sense of shame.

His paranoia controls him.
His ego controls him as well.
Among our current world leaders,
We can find no parallel.

Running the world's largest country
Can be a challenge that's tough;
However, as large as it is,
To Putin it's not large enough.

So now he has sent Russian troops
Into the land of Ukraine.
Putin's great thirst for power
Is something that he can't contain.

Putin can't stand the idea
Of having a country next door
That's strong and democratic.
For him that's a reason for war.

He came up with false excuses
To justify his attack.
How does one deal with a lying
Megalomaniac?

How many people will suffer?
How many people will die?
How many now will be homeless?
How many children will cry?

How many more dissenters
Will end up going to jail?
Which world democracies
Will Putin try to derail?

Who is the next to be poisoned
For speaking his or her mind?
With how many more rubles
Will Putin's pockets be lined?

Most of the world agrees
That Putin is clearly a brute.
Praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!
Yes, praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!

-by Bob B (2-27-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Ah, Ukraine! It pains the heart
To see what you are going through.
How are you ever going to survive
What Vladimir Putin is doing to you?

Homes, schools, and hospitals bombed…
Roughly two million people fleeing…
The country's infrastructure collapsing…
It's hard to believe what we are seeing.

All because of an insecure
Madman who rules the country next door--
A madman who lies to his people in order
To justify his cruel war.

Will Putin level all the cities?
"Level"--a horrible palindrome!
What will returning Ukrainians find
Standing if they ever come home?

Putin rules with an iron fist.
For anybody to stop him is tough.
We have to rely on the Russian people
To say, "We have had enough!"

How much more can the rest of the world
Do to help--to ease your pain?
You need much more than cautious concern
To end the anguish, dear Ukraine.

-by Bob B (3-11-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Florida wants to show
Its hateful, nasty side
By lashing out at gays
With zeal that it won't hide.
Governor DeSantis
Will not be outdone.
He wants to make a case
Where there's really none.
But who cares what
DeSantis has to say?
Turn his words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Other states will now
Attempt to follow suit
With explanations that
They will convolute.
It matters not to them
What is right or wrong.
It's just a culture war
That nudges them along.
When states try to put
Their bigotry on display,
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Using toxic words
Like "groomers" to suggest
That anyone who's gay
Is on a lecherous quest,
Backers of the bills
Frequently beguile
Voters with the use
Of worlds like "*******."
When fanatics try
To bully you this way,
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Autocratic rulers,
Backed by troglodytes,
Scorn intolerance
And stomp on human rights.
Don’t let other people
Intimidate you. No!
Just be who you are,
And tell them where to go.
Love is love is love,
So don't be led astray.
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

-by Bob B (4-11-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)