(This poem can be sung to the tune of the Shangri-La's 1964 pop hit "Leader of the Pack.")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8UKf65NOzM

Are they really voting for him?
Well, yes, they are. Just ask them.
Voters, are those MAGA hats that you're wearing?
Hm-hmmm…
Gee, it must be strange voting for him.
Did you think he'd make the country great again?
Uh-huh.
Tell us why you support him.

We watch him on the TV screen.
It seems his simple words ring true--
That's what we think. (Yes, you do.)
That's why we follow (the LEADER OF THE CULT).

He says that he is the chosen one (one, one).
And knows how the country ought to be run.
(Whaddya mean when he says he knows how the country should be run?)
He says he can't do wrong--
That with him we'll be strong.
That's why we follow (the LEADER OF THE CULT).

He says the president's like a king.
Silencing his critics is his thing.
(Whaddya trying to say when you say he's like a king?)
He will defy Congress, he said.
And that's how we will get ahead.
That's why we follow (the LEADER OF THE CULT).

He doesn't care if Russia's involved
In our elections--that's all right.
In his opinion, Russia is absolved.
If he acts out of spite,
As long as he wins, that'll be delight!

Right now! Right now! Right now! Right now!

He says that his intentions are real.
We don't care what things he tries to conceal.
We'll let him get his way;
We're going to do whatever he'll say.
We will always follow (the LEADER OF THE CULT).

-by Bob B (2-2-20)

Shadow is a scaredy-cat,
His tough appearance a masquerade.
It takes little to scare him, for even
His own shadow makes him afraid.

Loud noises terrify him.
The telephone rings, a door slams,
A horn honks, fireworks go off,
The vacuum roars and Shadow scrams.

When guests come to pay a visit,
As soon as Shadow hears the sound
Of a knock on the door or the ring of the doorbell,
The scaredy-cat's nowhere to be found.

Under a bed, behind a couch,
Deep in the closet--out of sight--
Shadow waits in the grip of panic,
His green eyes open wide with fright.

One would think that by this time
Shadow's fears would be subsiding.
However, as long as he hears strange voices,
He remains in his places of hiding.

As soon as guests have left the house,
Shadow appears, looking as though
He's saying to his insensitive masters,
"Why do you have to torment me so?"

Whatever is out of the ordinary
To Shadow is an impending threat.
Imagine the pandemonium
Whenever he has to see the vet.

Nobody knows why Shadow's so fearful.
Deep in his past was something traumatic?
His doctor can't begin to explain
Why his behavior is so erratic.

Who can fathom the mind of a cat?
Something frightening must have spooked him.
The sad effects of a horrible nightmare?
Had someone long ago harshly rebuked him?

Astrologers looked at his birth chart to find
What could have caused his alarming neurosis.
“Mercury square Saturn,” they said,
And then they recommended hypnosis.

A Tarot card reader saw the Hermit
And the Eight of Swords, both reversed,
Flanked by the Moon and the Nine of Wands.
“My goodness!” she cried. “The poor cat’s cursed!”

A local preacher dropped by and said,
“I can pray this problem away.”
He then proceeded to speak in tongues.
It didn’t work, needless to say.

If you have a list of suggestions,
Do him a favor and check your list.
If Shadow is going to shake off his fears,
He's going to need a therapist.

-by Bob B (2-1-20)

Sidestep’s a political cat--
Seldom around when you need him.
But it never fails: he is there
When it's time to feed him.

Early on, his mother knew
He'd be a politician.
As a kitten, he proved to be
A glib rhetorician.

He could talk his siblings out of
Any treat or favor.
He quickly learned what went down fast
And what he needed to savor.

In kitten school, he highly excelled.
Though not an expert reader,
He was good at giving orders,
For he was a natural leader.

When it came to loyalties,
You barely knew where he stood.
He was known as the "cagey one"
Throughout the neighborhood.

Now he thinks that caterwauling
Expresses his constitution,
And he has devoted time to perfecting
The art of circumlocution.

When you think you've pinned him down,
Much to your dismay,
He evades your prying questions
And suddenly slips away.

His donors, extolling his policies,
Are proud to be in his tribe.
What they might call a major donation,
Others call a bribe.

"Donations" consist of a dying lizard,
A tasty, half-eaten mouse,
Or a scrumptious piece of grasshopper
Next to the door of the house.

When the spotlight shines on him,
Oh, how his eyes glisten!
But sometimes he talks way too much
And doesn't like to listen.

He maintains his strategies
Are crucial for survival.
Thus, he looks for ways to smear
Any political rival.

He thinks he is quite the card.
However, opinions are split.
Though liked by some, many think
He's really full of spit.

"You will always win with me!"
Is one of his favorite quotes.
He hopes his fake sincerity
Will win him a lot of votes.

Sidestep runs a messy campaign
As he stands in front of the flag.
He just hopes that no one lets
The cat out of the bag.

-by Bob B (1-31-20)

As chief diplomat,
By the way-o,
You're NOTHING but a rat,
Mike Pompeo.

So Trump has become
Your protégé-o.
Sounds like zero-sum,
Mike Pompeo.

Supporters you may please
Every day-o
By acting like a ******,
Mike Pompeo.

But most of us see fully--
Let us say-o--
The workings of a bully,
Mike Pompeo.

Kelly° asked about
The game you play-o,
And all you did was shout,
Mike Pompeo.

Calling her a liar,
Not okay-o,
When YOUR pants are on fire,
Mike Pompeo.

Your reputation's in
Disarray-o--
One more thing to spin,
Mike Pompeo.

What are you trying
To convey-o
With your constant lying,
Mike Pompeo?

You and Trump should know--
Come what may-o--
You'll reap what you sow,
Mike Pompeo.

-by Bob B (1-30-20)

°Mary Louise Kelly, NPR reporter

If vital evidence is withheld,
In NO way can a trial be legit.
Such a trial would be a sham;
Our system of justice would take a hit.

If key, relevant witnesses
Cannot testify, then how
Can the outcome of such a case
Be valid? It can't. What's happening now

In the Senate is a travesty.
Finding the truth is not the goal.
Kowtowing Mitch McConnell
Disgustingly has sold his soul.

The president's lawyers focus on
Arguments completely off base.
They try to distract the members of Congress
With info irrelevant to the case.

Still obstructing Congress, Trump
Expects that he will be acquitted,
When in actuality,
He really ought to be committed.

-by Bob B (1-28-20)

Dogs and cats can enhance our lives--
At least when we don't break out in hives,
Constantly sneeze and blow our nose,
And have to experience other woes.
Dogs are very demonstrative,
Quick to obey, and quick to forgive.
Cats, however, are more mysterious,
Less predictable, surely more serious.

It’s true that when a cat’s in heat,
The sounds she makes are far from sweet.
But rub your hand across her fur
And listen to her soothing purr.
Dogs insist on making their mark
By giving a loud, annoying bark.
They scare you with a threatening growl
And drive you crazy when they howl.

Of course, dogs can learn to shake
And sit--both a piece of cake.
They'll fetch, roll over, heel, and stay,
And try to do other things you say.
Cats will hear your every command
But ACT as though they don't understand.
They understand but find it stifling
When asked to do what they find trifling.

If you have a coffee table,
Tie things down if you are able.
Larger dogs will never fail
To knock things off with a wagging tail.
Cats will daintily tiptoe by
And not leave everything awry,
For cats have had much greater success
At demonstrating their finesse.

When dogs perchance let out a ****,
Your nose will crinkle, your eyes will smart.
Cats, however, have much more class;
You hardly know that they've passed gas.
When dogs are out to walk or play,
They'll **** and then just walk away.
With dirt or sand, cats construe
A way to cover up number two.

I have friends who say to me
That dogs make better company--
That dogs provide more dividends
Because they make much better friends.
But I say there should be no shame
If cats make calm restraint their aim.
And I choose friends who in no case
Would slobber on me and lick my face.

Dogs must always get a whiff
Of everything that they can sniff.
One wonders what's going on in their minds
When they smell one another's behinds.
Cats bring manners up a notch:
They don't walk up and sniff your crotch.
They're more subtle and wouldn't dare;
They display more savoir faire.

While dogs don't like to be alone,
Cats…well they do fine on their own.
Dogs out there should NOT be offended;
Any insults were unintended.
I must say I have no regrets
Discussing what I prefer in pets.
Surely, some of you think I'm nuts,
But I still prefer cats to mutts.

-by Bob B (1-27-20)

Mighty Jupiter, massive, majestic…
Three hundred times the size of planet Earth.
Shaper, molder of many of our planets.
First planet formed at our solar system’s birth.

Your gravitational pull is completely unmatched
By any other planet that revolves around the sun.
Despite over four billion years since your making,
Your strong influence and your work are yet undone.

How do you manage your many, many moons--
Seventy-nine plus on paths around your sphere?
Callisto, Io, Ganymede, Europa…
Do you have a name for our moon down here?

Where would we be if it hadn't been for you?
Would there have been the birth of humankind?
As you rampaged through our solar system,
Is this configuration what you had in mind?

Protecting us from objects farther out in space,
You could also send us a dangerous surprise:
By hurling an asteroid in the earth’s direction,
You have the potential to cause our demise.

You are certainly a mystery of science--
Baffling, inscrutable. Your power, raw.
We here on Earth respect your magnanimity.
We fear you somewhat, yet we look at you with awe.

-by Bob B (1-25-20)

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)

Something has happened, and I'd be remiss
If I neglected to tell you this:
There's reason to worry, but try to calm down.
Acrobat is back in town!
His ancestors lived at the Long Beach Pike
Starting way back in the days of Ike.
You have a right to be concerned,
For people all over the town have been burned.
Not a very good diplomat
Is Acrobat, the harbor cat.

When you're dining, be on guard:
He doesn't leave a calling card.
Calamari has its appeal,
But sushi is Acrobat's favorite meal.
He'll ****** the salmon right off of the rice.
(He much prefers seafood to mice.)
Before fried cod can touch your lips,
He'll steal the fish but leave the chips.
He doesn't need a welcome mat--
Not Acrobat, the harbor cat.

At barbecues it's always unclear
How certain items can disappear.
So if you are missing a sausage or two,
A chicken leg, or even a few,
It's not too hard to believe, is it,
That Acrobat was paying a visit?
Swiping food for him is a cinch.
But rodents…well…they'll do in a pinch.
Be on the lookout if you are a rat
For Acrobat, the harbor cat.

There are some who can outfox a fox.
Just after dawn on the fishing docks,
Out of the blue, someone yells, "Wait!
What has happened to all my bait?"
While he stands there scratching his head,
They say that behind the cleaning shed,
Hidden among the buckets and mops,
Acrobat sits, licking his chops.
He won't hang around and stay for a chat--
Not Acrobat, the harbor cat.

Now Acrobat, a cagey sort,
Doesn't believe in child support.
He WON'T help raise his progeny
And blames it all on phylogeny.
He's quite the dandy and quite the cad.
But watch out if you make him mad.
I would wager that many regret
Ignoring him as a credible threat.
You really want to avoid a spat
With Acrobat, the harbor cat.

-by Bob B (1-23-20)

As the House members turn up the dial
At the president's impeachment trial,
If you're keeping score,
You'll see more and more
That the GOP lives in denial.

How can a trial be legit
If Midnight Mitch will not permit
Key witnesses there?
He says, "I don't care.
Who needs a trial? Just acquit."

His reasoning's so hard to parse.
He basically says, "Kiss my ****."
There's SO much at stake,
But HE'S going to make
The trial in the Senate a farce.

-by Bob B (1-22-20)

(This poem can be sung to the song "America the Beautiful.")

America, what's happened here?
You're covered by a cloud.
We're now constrained to shed a tear,
For how can we be proud?
America, you've offered us
Such wonders since your birth.
But now you see how sadly we
Have failed to prove our worth.

America, from east to west
Your history reveals
That in the past we once were blessed
With passionate ideals.
But now we can observe that we
Are burdened by extremes.
Must we regress from hopefulness?
What's happened to our dreams?

America, since early days,
We've grown from cause to cause.
But now we watch as lawmakers
Find ways to bend the laws.
Integrity was once admired,
Equality a goal.
But greed and hate won't make us great.
What's happened to our soul?

America, we'd hoped that you
Would loudly sing your song--
That colors true--red, white, and blue--
Would carry us along.
A crisis looms, the likes of which
We haven't had before.
The case is grave; we've got to save
This land from shore to shore.

-by Bob B (1-21-20)

The frigid winter was colder than ever.
The porcupines, both young and old,
Were deeply concerned, for animal friends
Were dying because of the bitter cold.

Therefore, they decided that
It would behoove them all to form
A close-knit group. Huddled together,
They could keep one another warm.

It seemed like a good idea at first,
But then they agreed with unanimity
That being so close was not working out:
Their quills pricked porcupines in proximity.

But later they learned that separated,
They were worse off, for no denying,
Unable to keep one another warm,
The freezing porcupines were dying.

If they planned to survive the winter,
They had to act, and so they decided
That being banded together was more
Beneficial than being divided.

And so they grouped together again,
Realizing that they could endure
The little jabs from the others' quills,
But they would survive the winter for sure.

The moral: when we look at life
And consider all our interconnections,
It's best if we can learn to live
With one another's imperfections.

Another way to look at the story:
Life can be painful, but we should strive
To put up with all the ****** in life
If we truly want to survive.

-by Bob B (1-20-20)

°A popular tale (author unknown) retold here in verse

Expanding your power is essential
For you to rule with an iron fist.
Remember that you and truth and honor
Simply cannot coexist.

Surround yourself with the most unethical
People you know. One result
Is you will find that that is a much
Simpler way to build your cult.

Appoint an attorney general who
Will back you up no matter what.
He'll investigate your critics;
In short, he'll help you kick their ****.

You can then intimidate
Members of Congress, for you'll find
That with the AG's help they'll be
More malleable. Bear that in mind.

Once you've got your toadies in Congress,
Gone is the separation of powers.
You'll get away with anything.
Their blind devotion will water your flowers.

As your power increases and people
Fear you more, you'll know fully
All the advantages of being
A crass, crude, obnoxious bully.

The groveling sycophants around you--
Though they appear weak and feckless--
Will always be willing to give you a pass,
Even if your behavior is reckless.

You can follow the lead of friend
Vladimir Putin, for he understands
What it's like for a leader to have
So much power in his hands.

Oh, I love democracy--
Something that I can exploit and abuse
And manipulate to give myself
Even more power if I so choose.

-by Bob B (1-18-20)

With its trusty algorithm,
Facebook prioritizes for you
Posts and ads so that you see
What it THINKS you want to view.

Bold and sassy, the company
Doesn't even apologize
When certain Facebook users receive
Political ads that are filled with lies.

By the way, are you a purist,
Whom the trend might disturb
To see "like" used as a noun
And the word "friend" used as a verb?

The world today revolves around
"Clicks" and "Likes" on the Internet.
People become bizarrely obsessed
With how many "Clicks" or "Likes" they get.

Email to many is cumbersome,
But if there's something you want me to see,
The BEST way to ensure that I see it
Would be to email or text it to me.

-by Bob (1-17-20)

If you care about our friends,
Sound the alarm and spread the word:
Do not let your hummingbird feeder
**** your visiting hummingbird.

What a pleasure it is to watch
The little critters hover and dip
And dart and dash and land on our feeders,
Looking for sweet nectar to sip!

Enjoying their daily visits, we want
To offer help to our little pals.
But if we're negligent, we might
Be killing the little guys and gals.

The nectar in your feeder must
Be changed every five days or so.
Otherwise, the birds could die.
This is very important to know.

If a fungus grows in the nectar,
There will be a complication:
The birds will sip it, their tongues will swell,
And then they'll die of cruel starvation.

I don't mean to make you depressed
Or increase your apprehensions,
But sometimes human beings can cause
Harm despite our best intentions.

-by Bob B (1-16-20)

(Try singing this poem to the tune of Bob Dylan's song "Blowin' in the Wind.")

How many lies can a president tell
Until people say, “That’s enough”?
How often can one man play a hard game
Until someone else calls his bluff?
How long till people stand up to hate
And give it a fitting rebuff?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

How many clouds must darken the sky
Before we can feel the cold rain?
How long must people suffer in life
Until we can feel their pain?
How can a leader within a short time
Destroy what is hard to regain?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

How many laws can a president break
Until Congress tells him, "You're fired!"?
How can a leader have so many duds
Among the people he's hired?
What does it take for the voters to say,
"We've had it; your time has expired"?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

-by Bob B (1-15-20)

Elections do have consequences.
Apathy is detrimental.
Putting in office the wrong person
Is not merely coincidental.

Some people say, "No problem
If Donald Trump abuses his power.
He's giving me exactly what
I want, so why should I be sour?"

Other people--regarding their jobs--
Complacently say, "I’ve got work.
So why shouldn’t I vote for him,
Even though the man is a ****?”

Many might say, “I don’t care
How he acts or how much he lies.
MY life is going smoothly.
That's not something I'll jeopardize."

Regarding election meddling by
Foreign powers, people say,
"If it helps the president
To get elected, fire away."

"So what if White nationalists
Infect the White House," some insist.
"Don't racists and bigots and haters
Also have the right to exist?"

People say, "Trump has an ego
And acts like a child if no one feeds it.
So what if we've lost respect in the world.
To hell with respect! Bah, who needs it?"

And then there are also those who believe
Every word he utters, as though
They can't see that the more he speaks,
The more we know what he doesn't know.

Yes, elections matter a lot.
Know what's real; know what's fake.
Our future is hanging in the balance;
The soul of our nation is what's at stake.

-by Bob B (1-14-20)

There's a guy who always was
The paragon of health.
His fitness was a thing he treasured
Even more than wealth.
He said that exercise and eating
Well will keep you strong.
If he got a cold it never
Lasted very long.
He took daily vitamins
And supplements galore.
His favorite place to shop in seemed
To be the health food store.
He said that he'd take drugs but only
As a last resort.
Well, now he's taking pills, but they
Are of a different sort.

He takes a pill for his thyroid and
One to help him sleep.
There's one he takes for arthritis;
That one isn't cheap.
He takes one for anxiety--
To elevate his mood.
Some he takes on an empty stomach,
And some he takes with food.
He takes a pill for cholesterol;
Another one's for his heart.
All the different shapes and colors
Help him tell them apart.
The one he takes for his prostate helps him
When he has to ***.
Now without his stash of pills
He wonders where he'd be.

So, if you're down on drugs, I think
This gentleman will contend
That certain medications help you
Avoid an early end.
The only thing, he says, is meds
Are not a problem as such,
But why the hell do some meds have to
Cost so very much?
On ONE hand we can say that drugs
Might help us to survive.
And yet because of side effects,
We're lucky to be alive.
If you think that you've been lucky,
You might have been. That's true.
But when you reach a certain age,
THIS might happen to you:

You MIGHT need a pill for your thyroid and
One to help you sleep.
You MIGHT need one for arthritis;
Some of them aren't cheap.
You MIGHT need one for anxiety--
To elevate your mood.
Be sure to read the directions because
Some you take with food.
You MIGHT need a pill for cholesterol,
Or maybe one for your heart.
All the different shapes and colors
Help you tell them apart.
Men, your prostate pill will help you
When you have to ***.
Ladies, you'll take something else;
You WON'T get off scot-free.

Yes, without our stash of pills
I wonder where we'd be.

-by Bob B (1-13-20)

All would be quite different today
If we hadn't interfered
In Iranian politics
In the 1950s. What is weird--

Or maybe isn't when you consider
How the world functions--is how
What we did way back then
Is coming back to haunt us now.

Helping to orchestrate a coup,
Our CIA helped a man--
Mohammad Reza, the Shah--return
To be the leader of modern Iran.

The Shah moved the country forward,
But there was also a huge increase
Of harsh acts to stifle dissent
By the Shah's secret police.

The 70s brought a revolution.
The people rose up, and then voilà:
Iran became an Islamic Republic
And said good riddance to the Shah.

What we have now is a mess:
Iran wants to define its role
In the Middle East, while we have
A leader with no impulse control.

Ignoring possible repercussions
And thinking he knows so much more
Than all the experts, he could likely
Involve us in a senseless war.

A recipe for disaster? Yes.
The president MUST be stopped in his tracks.
A sense of diplomacy and brains
Are two important things he lacks.

-by Bob B (1-11-20)

What a curse: hypocrisy!
Oh, when all is said and done,
Our president doesn’t serve the people;
He looks instead after number one.

The hypocrite says he wants a clean
Environment, and yet he'll dare
To serve the many companies that
Pollute the water and poison the air.

The current admin would rather give
More benefits to the heads
Of big pharma instead of helping
People desperate for the meds.

The right to vote is precious, but still
He helps those who have an obsession
Not with serving American voters
But serving instead voter suppression.

Catering to religious groups,
He wants to see his ratings spike,
And yet his uncouth words and lies
Are not very Christianlike.

When he doesn't get his way,
He seeks immediate retribution,
Not by obeying the law but by
Tromping on the Constitution.

When he campaigned, he complained
About Hillary's emails, and yet
The man himself remains a giant
National security threat.

Is the president motivated
Mainly by power or greed, or both?
When he was sworn into office, did
He take the Hypocritic Oath?

-by Bob B (1-10-20)

The president says that we should be happy?
He brought us to the brink of war
And then he lied about the reasons.
Of course, we have seen that before.

Lies, lies, again and again…
He thinks he can legitimize
His actions by bombarding us
With lies, lies, and even more lies.

Fifteen thousand four hundred
False claims from the lying pro.
But you have to keep in mind
That that was more than a month ago!

Now he's lying about Iran.
He says he has a better feel
For how to apply maximum pressure--
Better than the nuclear deal.

Abandoning the agreement that
Was working clearly made no sense.
Trump prefers to provoke Iran.
Diplomacy is a better defense.

Diplomacy means "weakness" to Trump.
He would rather pound his chest
And act as though he knows what he's doing.
Tell me: is the man possessed?

Lies, lies, again and again…
How can anyone not despise
A leader who defames our country
With lies, lies, and even more lies.

-by Bob B (1-9-20)

(This poem can be sung to the tune of the traditional Scottish folk song "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean.")

D.T.:
“Oh, I have no problem with war crimes,
Though some people might disagree.
That anything goes is my doctrine.
No, war crimes do not bother me.

(Chorus)
“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Some people frown upon torture.
They think it's cruel and perverse.
But I think that it can be useful.
Restrictive rules are such a curse.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Terrorists are a big nuisance.
But one way to spoil their plots
Is to go after their loved ones.
Then they might have second thoughts.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Soldiers out there who've committed
War crimes are heroes, you see.
I'll gladly give them a pardon
‘Cause war crimes do not bother me.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“To leaders who rule other countries,
Listen to me, for I swear
I'll bomb your cultural centers.
Let ALL the world's nations beware.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.”

-by Bob B (1-8-20)

D.T.:
"All of this impeachment talk
Is really getting on my nerves.
My strategy to thwart it doesn't
Get the attention it deserves.

"Let's see….What can I do?
Ah, yes! Create a distraction.
If I can start a war somewhere,
That would surely get a reaction!

"A war with China, North Korea,
Russia? No! Out of the question.
A messy war with Iran might do it.
Now THAT would be my best suggestion!

"I'll take out the number two
Person in the Iranian scene.
Then I'll get my staff to help me
Oil my propaganda machine.

"Bush succeeded in making up
Stories of weapons of mass destruction.
I'll convince my base at least,
For I'm an expert at seduction.

"We will say that Soleimani
Was a dangerous, imminent threat.
If Iran retaliates,
That is something they'll regret.

"So if hundreds of thousands die,
To me my plan has great appeal.
In any war there's bound to be
Collateral damage. No big deal.

"It's time for me to make a decision,
For we're approaching zero hour.
It's amazing what you can do
When you have tons of power.

"Impeachment talk will fade away
After I start my war with Iran.
But first I have to make a call
To see what Putin thinks of my plan."

-by Bob B (1-7-20)

Death--a relentless stalker--
Never leaves us alone
Until he once and for all
Makes us one of his own.

We think that we elude him.
Although our defenses are weak,
We try to play a fruitless
Game of hide and seek.

He knows every refuge--
Every hiding place--
And hates it when we spurn
His unwelcome embrace.

"Death, be gone!" we say.
"For you I have no use.
Your never-ending threats
Are nothing but abuse."

"Can't you see," says he,
"That I’m determinative?
Only because of me
Are you able to live."

Lurking in the shadows,
He hopes that we'll forget
To heed our inner warnings
Acknowledging him as a threat.

His efforts to cajole us
Into succumbing are steady.
He demands our compliance
Whether or not we're ready.

When he takes our hand,
The best that we can do
Is stare him down and say,
"I'm not afraid of you!"

-by Bob B (1-2-20)

In twenty nineteen, what we saw
Was a truly historic event:
The House of Representatives
Impeached the country's president.

That was only the third time
In two hundred forty-three years.
But he will likely remain in office--
At least that's how it now appears.

Moscow Mitch has already said
That he won't be an impartial judge.
Impeachments, he says, are political.
From his opinion I doubt he'll budge.

A trial in McConnell's Senate would be
A "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am."
In other words, a Senate impeachment
Trial would be a total sham.

Concerned voters across the country
Have to make an important decision:
Will 2020 unite the country,
Or will there be even greater division?

After months of campaign madness,
We'll have a chance to see what ensues.
Maybe a change in the presidency?
Wouldn't that be wonderful news?

-by Bob B (1-1-20)

If three billion years ago--
According to what the scientists say--
We were merely single-celled beings,
We have come a long, long way.

It’s hard to imagine life before
Becoming multi-cellular creatures
With such a wide assortment of
Fascinating traits and features.

If sixty percent of our DNA
Is shared with fruit flies, we can see
That we humans and fruit flies have
A certain commonality.

If ninety-two percent of our
DNA is shared with mice,
Before we take their little lives,
Do we ever stop and think twice?

Before we **** that fly or rodent--
For reasons that number more than a dozen--
We could at least show a little
Respect and say, “Sorry, Cousin.”

-by Bob B (12-30-19)

Little Liam, you sit on my lap
And look at the world with questioning eyes.
What's going on in your little brain?
We adults can only surmise.

Too young to be afraid,
You are now so utterly obsessed
With putting everything into
Your mouth. Is that your litmus test?

At six months old, you probably
Expect to only be pampered and fed.
I doubt you have an inkling about
What adventures lie ahead.

I fear that we are leaving you
A world that's terribly disjointed.
We would love to make you proud
But fear you might be disappointed.

How could anyone hold you and not
Want to protect you to the hilt?
Your curious, trusting eyes, however,
Fill my aching heart with guilt.

All your uncle has to do
Is look into your innocent face
To know that he must fight much harder
To make this world a better place.

-by Bob B (12-22-19)

Sing, Democracy! Sing your song!
Let your voice be loud and clear.
Resist the onslaught of vicious attacks
On all the values that you hold dear.

Sing, Democracy! Let the sound
Of freedom muffle the sounds of suppression.
Do not cower when threatened by
Corrupt abuse of power and aggression.

Sing, Democracy! Do not let
Extremists stifle your beautiful voice.
When your music overpowers
The sounds of tyranny, rejoice!

Sing, Democracy, louder yet
When voices of ignorance try to subdue
Your song of hope for humanity,
For you know what is honest and true.

Sing, Democracy! Everywhere,
Let truth, honor, and freedom thrive.
But always know that you must be
Vigilant if you want to survive.

Sing, Democracy, lest your voice
Be stifled forever, and all you've known
About the value of freedom and justice
Turns to a whimper and dies with a moan.

-by Bob B (12-18-19)

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait
For the arrival of Christmas Eve.
What was hiding in those boxes?
What were we kids going to receive?

A BB gun, a pogo stick,
And roller skates were fun to get.
Games were exciting, as were a nifty
Microscope and erector set.

Through the years, although receiving
Such presents surely gave me a lift,
A gift certificate to Pickwick
Bookshop was my favorite gift.

I don't mind admitting that I
Was probably a nerd--a geek.
Other kids and I were on
Different wavelengths, so to speak.

Dad would drive me to Hollywood,
Gladly, but still always remarking
How it was a nuisance to have to
Drive so far and pay for parking.

On entering the giant shop,
Dad told me to go explore
That fascinating, multi-level
World of words--books galore!

Explore I did. It didn't take me
Long to have my books in hand.
The feeling you get is one that only
A bibliophile would understand.

Pickwick Bookshop's no longer there.
But I am grateful that I had
Those end-of-the-year book adventures
And spending special moments with Dad.

-by Bob B (12-16-19)

The Right bombards Facebook with ads—
Something that’s not rare.
However, lies fill the ads,
And Facebook doesn’t care.

Zuckerberg says that anyone has
The right to advertise.
People, he says, should know how
To tell the truth from lies.

Yes, if they're informed they should,
But if they form their views
From reading only the president's tweets
And watching only Fox News,

Then we have a BIG problem--
A real contradiction--
For how are they EVER going to be able
To separate fact from fiction?

-by Bob B (12-14-19)

The House impeachment hearings show
How the president's cult divides
America, with legislators
Approaching a problem from different sides.

One side calls on oversight
Of presidential abuse of power
And also obstruction, both of which
Are STILL occurring at this hour.

The other side chooses to
Ignore the gravity of the abuse
And tries instead to distract the public
With arguments, lame and obtuse.

They have decided that they'll defend
Their guileful leader at any cost,
No matter how much damage he's done--
No matter how many lines he's crossed.

What a shame, America!
History shows us what can result
When people either choose or are forced
To be a part of a leader's cult.

-by Bob B (12-13-19)

So Putin helps Trump win an election
And subsequently feels elated.
He is still anticipating
How he will be compensated.
Who are the ones who cheer and clap
As Putin takes a victory lap?

Watching the Trump administration
Blame and distrust the FBI
Also tickles Putin as Trump
Makes it a target to vilify.
Watch Putin cheer and clap
As he takes a victory lap.

When Trump says he doesn't believe
Our intelligence agents here
But eagerly accepts whatever
Putin tells him, one thing's clear:
Trump is willing to cheer and clap
As Putin takes a victory lap.

When Russia starts a conspiracy theory
And blames Ukraine for election meddling,
Many Trumplicans here believe
The devious lies that the Kremlin is peddling.
How can Americans cheer and clap
As Putin takes a victory lap?

When Trump speaks with the president
Of Ukraine and crudely tries to extort
Favors from the Ukrainians
And threatens to pull U.S. support,
Putin supporters cheer and clap
As Putin takes a victory lap.

As here we see a chilling loss
Of democratic values, we
Will ask ourselves whatever happened
To hope and opportunity.
Who then will cheer and clap
As Putin takes a victory lap?

-by Bob B (12-12-19)

When we last visited Santa,
A sign on which was written "For Sale"
Hung from a post on his property.
It's hanging there still from a rusty nail.

Santa shuffled out to greet us.
Conditions have been taking a toll
On Santa, for it is obvious that
Things aren't going so well at the Pole.

"Welcome back," said Santa, wiping
A little tear from the edge of his eye.
"I wish I could say that things were improving.
Alas, they're not," he said with a sigh.

"The Arctic is warming at such a fast rate!
Believe you me, it's very alarming.
Don't people care about
The habitats that humans are harming?

"Upsetting the balance of nature is having
Disastrous consequences, for now
We are at a tipping point.
How much more will we allow?

"Melting sea ice is making it hard
For animals who need it to thrive.
Polar bears and walruses
Are finding it hard to stay alive.

"A lot of snow and ice up here
Is badly needed to reflect
The sun's energy back into space.
Now we have the albedo effect:

"Water and rock both absorb
Heat from the rays of the sun, which will
Cause even more ice to melt,
Making the earth warmer still!

"Many animals face starvation,
Animals such as reindeer that graze.
As we observe the Greenland ice
Sheet melt, expect bleaker days.

"With the thawing of more terrestrial
Permafrost, methane's released
Into our earth's atmosphere.
Our problems once again are increased.

"I hate to be a buzz ****," he added.
"But my cheerful '**, **, **!'
Is turning into a dire warning--
Now it's more of a 'Whoa, whoa, whoa!'

"No one wants this property,
Other than polluters and drillers.
But I refuse to sell to climate
Change deniers or habitat killers."

Mrs. Santa called from the house.
"The missus needs me," he said. "So long.
Tell everyone that Santa needs
A climate change Christmas song."

With that, he turned and left us standing,
Baffled, bewildered, sad, distraught.
Some folks might be fooled by deniers,
But one thing's for certain: Santa's not.

-by Bob B (12-10-19)

O you hypocrites!
You know who you are.
When it comes to honor,
How you've lowered the bar!

What? Have you no shame?
What’s happened to your pride?
You pretend your actions
Can be justified.

How you love to blame
Others for things you do!
You shun the use of facts
And cherish what’s untrue.

Often what you praise
Is reprehensible;
What you try to defend
Is indefensible.

Has your commitment to truth
Always been a lie?
Has your level of fraud
Always been this high?

Your songs of double-dealing
Echo through the halls.
You hide your smug expression
Behind congressional walls.

Is hypocrisy
What many people might call
One of your job requirements?
If so, you give your all.

After hearing your nonsense
Day after day,
How can people believe
A single word you say?

-by Bob B (11-7-19)

AG Barr's attempt to spin
Conspiracy theories is wearing thin.
He wants to prove the Russia probe's a sham.
Investigations come up short.
They can't debunk the Mueller Report.
But Barr doesn't give a tinker's ****.

That's the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

The AG cannot rest, you see,
Until the lackey shows that he
Has a subject he can't fail to broach.
Even though his plan has holes
And serves his partisan political goals,
He insists that Trump's above reproach.

The president has a shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

It's sad he's such a sorry cuss.
The AG should be working for us;
The president's personal lawyer he is NOT.
But Trump thinks Barr will save his hide.
So what if neither one has pride.
Barr will be his shining Lancelot.

That's the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

Many of us remain nonplussed
At how the AG has no trust
For DOJ employees who work hard.
Instead, he thinks a "deep state" scheme--
A myth he's peddling to the extreme--
Is real and so he has to be on guard.

That's the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

Rejecting Congressional oversight,
Barr has taken on the fight
To cover up the president's transgressions.
Barr puts AG Sessions to shame.
Though both have played the president's game,
Barr is ten times worse than AG Sessions.

That's the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

-by Bob B (12-6-19)

________
(Original poem: Part I)

BOOTLICKER BARR

The president appointed a man
To help support his nefarious plan--
Something that's so common in these times.
The man became the president's pal
And pushed a bogus rationale
To try to cover up his boss's crimes.

The president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

An office that should really be
An independent agency
Is one that we call the D-O-J.
But since the president's henchman's there,
The agency's the worse for wear
And grows less independent every day.

Thanks to our leader's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

To bolster a right-wing conspiracy theory,
Barr has started a new inquiry
To investigate the Russia investigation.
Of course, he knows he'll get Fox News
To help support his spurious views
For it’s a peddler of misinformation.

To help the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

To try to prove that the Mueller probe
Was a crime, he roams the globe
To find someone to help him prove his case.
He merely shows that he's got gall
And NO integrity at all.
How can he look us in the face?

The president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

What a stunt--a big distraction,
A sly and furtive counteraction--
As they try to manufacture dirt.
Distractions from impeachment chatter
Is for them an easy matter.
To them it doesn't matter whom they hurt.

Watch the president's shining star:
The man known as Bootlicker Barr.

-by Bob B (10-25-19)

Dear Donald,

Congratulations. I really like
How you have muddied the waters, my friend.
You keep stressing my talking points
And give new meaning to the word “pretend.”

Not only have you duped your base,
You have your friends in Congress wrapped
Around your little finger, for you
Can lie whenever you feel trapped.

You have worshipers pushing your stories,
Conspiracy theories--the whole shebang.
Just try to polish your storytelling
So that your lies don’t boomerang.

Heaping all the blame on Ukraine
For having meddled in twenty sixteen
In your election helps us both
Advance our propaganda machine.

A weaker Ukraine is good for Russia;
What’s good for Russia is good for you.
Think of all the power we’ll have.
That would be my dream come true.

To me it is a great honor
How you place your trust in me
When your intel agencies
And I happen to disagree.

The way that you obstruct justice
And Congress pleases me as well.
It's right out of my own playbook:
Just tell them all to go to hell.

When you, like me, have total control
Over the media, you're on your way
To being a leader who makes the people
Do what you do and say what you say.

People suspect that I have dirt
On you, but you can rest assured
That all you have to do is follow
My suggestions, and mum’s the word.

Your friend, Vlad

-by Bob B (12-3-19)

I ran into Tom Turkey again,
Who quietly sat alone in a bar.
It had been a while, so I said,
"Hey, tell me how things are."

"Life for turkeys isn't easy.
You know each day could be our last.
Tomorrow I could end up being
A part of someone's sumptuous repast,"

He said, taking a sip of his brandy
And wiping a tiny tear from his eye.
"But," he added, "I guess you also
Never know when you might die.

"But a giant difference is
That though today you're strong and able,
If something happened to you, you wouldn't
End up on someone's dining room table."

Then he said, "Tell me something;
My reasoning here is kind of murky.
If someone is foolish, weak or inept,
Why do you call that person a turkey?"

"Sorry," I said, "but do understand:
The term wasn't created by me.
Nonetheless, I will attempt
To be more sensitive--more PC."

"Oh," he said, "one more thing.
It's a disgrace to us turkeys and NOT
Pleasing to see the people dance
A dance known as the turkey trot."

"That," I said, "is now obsolete.
The silly dance has faded away.
A turkey trot is now a race
Often occurring on Thanksgiving Day."

"That's a big relief," he said,
And then with a look of consternation,
He glanced at the clock, put on his hat,
And said he was going to a demonstration.

He picked up his placard and left the bar,
Making me feel slightly barbarian.
Across the sign that poor Tom carried
Were scribbled the words: GO VEGETARIAN!

-by Bob B (11-26-19)

Rick Perry° has joined the cult
That calls Trump the Chosen One.
Sorry, but that's a game that should be
One with no trumps. Pardon the pun.

To give Trump such an undeserved
Title can only underscore
How much a person has to question
Perry's sanity all the more.

I can think of better titles:
Wannabe Strongman, Liar in Chief,
Security Threat, Hypocrite,
King of Corruption, or Causer of Grief.

But Chosen One? Let's be serious.
Could God really be so daft
To let the Chosen One be Trump?
If so, we've been given the shaft.

-by Bob B (11-25-19)

°Secretary of Energy for Donald Trump

I like to think that I eat well.
But eating well to me doesn't mean
That I intend to completely remove
Sugar from my daily routine.

I know that protein and grains and fruits
And veggies are vital; I like them a lot.
But sometimes a hunk of chicken or steak
Or a carrot doesn't hit the spot.

We are what we eat, people say.
I am not saying that I am a ****,
But I would rather be seen as a cream puff
Than seen as a chicken, a cow, or a pig.

"Moderation" sounds judicious,
Though it's a word that's hard to define.
Your idea of moderation
Might be completely different from mine.

If somebody said, "Add ten years
To your life by avoiding sugary treats,"
With no hesitation, I would reply,
"YOU take the years; I'LL take the sweets."

-by Bob B (11-24-19)

Well done, Adam!°
Let the truth be told.
Obstruction, lies, and abuse of power
All are getting old.

Don't falter, Adam.
Some of your colleagues' actions
Are meant to confuse and stir up doubt.
They are mere distractions.

Show what happens, Adam,
When a leader places
His own interests above the nation's
And even above his base's.

Don't stop, Adam,
Doing what is right.
Don't let far-right fantasies
Obstruct your line of sight.

Open the eyes, Adam,
Of those who live in denial.
Show the dangers of cultish clinging
To those across the aisle.

The president, Adam,
Has to know that his
Corrupt behavior shows the world
What he truly is.

Whatever happens, Adam,
Put your mind at rest.
If people fail to see the light,
At least you've done your best.

-by Bob B (11-23-19)

°Adam Schiff, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee

It's hard to watch as Republicans
In Congress parrot Putin's words.
In spouting Putin's talking points,
What they're doing is polishing turds.
°И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Brandishing conspiracy theories
And fantasies that have been debunked,
They are showing the world how their
Integrity is now defunct.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Bending the truth with the Putin/Russian
Intelligence narrative flies in the face
Of all that we have done for years
To keep democracy in place.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Putin loves to see Americans
Attack one another by going for the throat.
After stirring up discord here,
He can then sit back and gloat.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

Putin's friends in the White House, too,
Bolster the leader's insidious plot
And say that Putin is innocent
While the country Ukraine is not.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

What has happened to America--
The land of the free, the home of the brave?
George Washington must be
Turning over in his grave.
И это делает Путина очень счастливым.

-by Bob B (11-22-19)

°I eto delajet putina otchen shastliwim.

The Internet was abuzz this week;
It had to do with a possible slip.
They say that during an interview,
Eric Swalwell° let one rip.

The sound was caused, Swalwell says,
By a mug scraping across a desk.
The big hullabaloo has made
The incident rather Chauceresque.

Even if there happened to be
A breaking of wind, not so mute,
Tell me: what on earth could be
More natural than a little toot?

But Swalwell wants to make it clear
To anyone who might be a doubter:
The sound picked up by the mics was most
Assuredly NOT a slipper-outer.

-by Bob B (11-20-19)

°U.S. Representative for California's 15th Congressional District

(If you don’t know the song from GYPSY, "Everything's Coming Up Roses,” by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, listen to Bette Midler’s version on YouTube. Then try singing this poem to the melody.)

We can all see…
The truth is so clear, people.
It's not just a smear, people.
It's what we should fear. Oh, people,

Like two peas
In a pod
Such a friendship might seem rather odd.
As for us,
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

Business deals
Or *** tapes?
Microphones hidden in drapes?
So bizarre…
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

They're going strong now.
What could be their desire?
Putin knows how
He'll make the president kowtow.

Will Trump lift
Sanctions soon?
Will both keep on singing in tune?
Just you wait
And you’ll see
Who is whose
Devotee.
It's strange to watch the two talk crook to crook.
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin wherever we look.

They contrive this
Situation at hand.
We'll survive this;
Maybe we'd better archive this.

Putin wants
In Ukraine
To make it part of Russia's domain.
Where this goes,
Who can tell?
Doesn't this
Ring a bell?
'Cause they know every trick that's in the book.
People, all roads will lead us to true Russian meddling;
All roads will lead to the White House’s cover-ups;
All roads lead Trump to just one place without a doubt;
ALL ROADS LEAD CLEARLY TO PUTIN WHEREVER WE LOOK!

-by Bob B (11-19-19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm6Vi7WdK-k

Welcome to the new America.
Two hundred forty-some years, and wow!:
A few years of Donald Trump,
And look at what we have here now:

Republicans who once held
American values in high esteem
Parrot Kremlin propaganda,
Giving shape to Putin’s dream.

The president, boldly abusing
The power of pardon multiple times,
Pardons servicemen who
Have been convicted of war crimes.

Though bribery’s a crime by law,
Believe it or not, Republicans say
That when the president commits it,
Breaking the law is--yikes!--okay.

By frequently abusing his power,
The president, who acts like a king,
Plots White House cover-ups
And lies about almost everything.

An adversary becomes our ally;
Former allies become estranged.
The nation is more vulnerable
As priorities are rearranged.

Be a part of the “Me Too” movement,
But be aware of the current dictum:
Accuse someone of ****** assault,
And the perpetrator will be the victim.

Taking advantage of his position,
The president is free to loot
The country for his own enrichment,
And many people don’t give a hoot.

If you are seeking asylum, forget it.
The country now will let you in
If you pass a major requirement:
It all depends on the color of your skin.

Climate change is called a hoax
And regulations are rolled back.
Criticize the president
And find yourself under attack.

White nationalists who are close
To the president help him make
Intolerant policies
That put our rights and freedom at stake.

Now congressional oversight
Is called a witch hunt, a lynching, a coup.
To understand the president's motives,
Just ask, "What would Putin do?"

So welcome…I mean…welcome maybe.
America seems to have a new face--
One to be changed mainly by thoughtful
Attention at the polling place.

-by Bob B (11-19-19)

Hats off to the patriots
Who aren't afraid to testify
In Congress during impeachment hearings.
No one needs to ask them why

They are willing to sit before Congress
And put their reputation on line,
Knowing that they'll be under attack
By people trying to undermine

Their character, virtue, honor,
And solid credibility.
As patriots, they stand tall,
But do so with humility.

Sadly, their words fall on deaf ears
Of many who do not care to hear
The truth about the man at the top--
The self-serving puppeteer.

The patriots have honored subpoenas
And NOT caved in to intimidation,
Despite being the subjects of threats,
Damaging tweets, and condemnation.

They're being grilled to expose something
About which we shouldn't be glad:
The most corrupt administration
The U.S. has ever had.

-by Bob B (11-17-19)

As of now, six of Trump's
Associates are paying for crimes
That they committed during these
Unprecedented times.

The crimes concern tax evasion,
Telling lies to the FBI,
Bank fraud, witness tampering
(Anything to protect their guy!),

Campaign finance violations,
Conspiracy against the U.S.,
Obstruction of Congress, lying to Congress…
All a part of the president's mess.

Let's see: Papadopoulos,
Manafort, Cohen, Gates, and Flynn,
And now Roger Stone--all
Tried to save the president's skin.

Do they ever ask themselves
How much they have benefited
From having worked for Donald Trump?
What misdeeds has HE committed?

Will Giuliani be the next?
How many more have hopped on board?
Will more break the law to protect
Their mob boss, their crime lord?

There's an important message here
When we see such crimes as these:
Lie down with flea-ridden dogs,
And surely you'll wake up with fleas.

-by Bob B (11-16-19)

All of us vets once took an oath--
One that clearly demonstrates
That we will protect and defend the Con-
Stitution of the United States.

Members of Congress take the same oath
When sworn into office. This adjuration
Shows that they will do their duty
To honor, protect, and defend this nation.

This vow, this pledge, when we're sworn in
Is serious business--NOT a game.
Just as we made good on the oath,
The president should do the same!

-by Bob B (11-12-19)

Humankind is young when you
Consider the grand scheme of things.
It's going to be interesting
To see what changes the future brings.

Though some people still have doubts
And find their questions unresolved,
Others are in awe at how
We human beings have evolved.

In certain ways we have seen
Humanity make great strides.
But then again, progress itself
Is questionable. Who decides?

At times it's flabbergasting to see
How little progress we seem to have made.
Are we really advancing when
So many people retrograde?

We take so much for granted about
This precious globe that gave us birth.
Despite the extensive knowledge we have,
We cannot stop destroying the earth.

Our planet has limited resources,
But people behave as though they've never
Been made aware of that and act
As though everything lasts forever.

Too many people reject reason
And place their trust in falsehoods and fiction.
They choose to substitute myth for fact
And fail to see the contradiction.

It's funny…no, it's scary to see
That while we have advanced in stages,
At the same time, many people
Continue to live in the Dark Ages.

-by Bob B (11-11-19)

While the huge Donald Trump
Propaganda machine keeps turning,
It's amazing how much ludicrous
Information we keep learning.

Despite proof to the contrary,
The Trump admin strives to maintain
That Russia DIDN'T meddle in our
Elections. The REAL culprit: Ukraine.

Here is what's so laughable
About the conspiracy theory they've peddled:
That helping Hilary Clinton was
Ukraine's reason for having meddled!

Trump's love affair with Putin
Astounds people worldwide.
How much power do they want?
How much are both of them trying to hide?

After receiving an invitation,
Trump remains undismayed
About the possibility of
Attending next year's May Day Parade.

So he'd sit next to Vladimir Putin--
The powerful Russian tyrant--plus,
Putin would proudly parade the weapons
He'd use against our allies and us.

-by Bob B (11-9-19)

They love to distract us out of anger and spite--
Those members of Congress on the far right.
Sometimes one wonders: Have they no shame?
For they keep on playing the Republican game.

The House keeps on passing bill after bill.
Then Moscow Mitch goes in for the ****.
Nothing gets passed, and the Senate's to blame.
For they keep on playing the Republican game.

They keep on saying how much they care
About their kids' future and how they will fare.
If they're so caring, then why do they claim:
No global warming? A Republican game.

They give huge tax breaks to those at the top
And don't care that others suffer nonstop
With high costs of drugs and health care that's lame.
That must be part of the Republican game.

They say they value justice and rules.
Yet they don't mind if they're played for fools
By giving support to a leader whose name
Will haunt us forever. The Republican game.

That they trust in Party over people is clear.
It's NOT hard to see beneath their veneer.
Do you ever wonder when they became
So fully enmeshed in the Republican game?

Republicans out there, your GOP
Members of Congress ***** you and me.
They're more controlled by their lobbyists' aim:
To profit by playing the Republican game.

-by Bob B (11-8-19)