(Can be sung to the tune of "King Herod's Song" from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR)

Oh, I feel a duty to my donors and my base.
If I don't act, Rush and Ann will say I'm a disgrace.
I pass laws…to titillate my fans.
I hate it when dissenters disagree with all my plans.

So give me my wall, my huge, giant wall.
It's a promise that I made.
Join me in my wall crusade.
Come, hear my plea.
Come on and do it for me.
Be nice and give me my wall.

You don't know how hard it is to work with people who
Don't appreciate all the terrific things you do.
My great wall…will be a tour de force.
And little Stevie Miller will be satisfied, of course.

So give me my wall, my huge, giant wall.
If people starve, well, Uncle Sam,
I don't really give a ****.
It feels so nice
To snuggle with ICE.
Come on and give me my wall.

Some say that my wall is useless; they don't understand
How its usefulness will help us keep out contraband,
Druggies and rapists, and all those other sorts.
I will get my way if I keep stacking all the courts.

So give me my wall, a huge, giant wall,
That stretches along our southern border.
Don’t say it's too tall an order.
I'll go to town and shut the government down
Unless you give me my wall.

Oh…yes…please…
Give my me wall, my huge, giant wall.
Five billion bucks should do it.
You say that's too much? Aw, ***** it!
Putin agrees, and so I beg on my knees:
Give me my beautiful wall!

-by Bob B (12-22-18)

I can't wait till once again
We have a president who's sane;
Whose meaningless words "No collusion!"
Don't become a daily refrain;

Who cares about people and country
More than profits and dividends;
Who places trust in allies and doesn't
Treat our adversaries as friends;

Whose charitable foundation isn't
Merely a personal slush fund or scam;
Whose kids aren't part of shady deals;
Whose spouse really gives a ****;

Who has integrity and doesn't
Give hateful fringe groups praise;
Whose job applicants don't need
The word "crook" on their résumés;

Who wins elections honestly
And doesn't rely on outside assistance;
For whom the use of lies and deceit
Is NOT the path of least resistance;

Who wants border security but doesn't
Constantly harp on a senseless wall;
Whose behavior is much, much more
Refined and LESS Neanderthal;

Who truly believes in democracy
And fully supports the rule of law;
Who doesn't expose ignorant views
In daily tweets of blah, blah, blah;

Who, when putting words together,
Could prove to be more prolific;
Whose daily repertoire has more
Adjectives than "great" and "terrific";

Whose team is not constantly
Involved in ethics violations;
Who in his first years of office isn't
In seventeen investigations.

Sooner or later, things will change.
But judging from every indicator,
It's suddenly starting to look as though
Relief might come sooner than later.

-by Bob B (12-19-18)

This is the tale of a girl
Only seven years old
Who came here from Guatemala.
Let her story be told.

Jakelin Caal Maquin
Came here with her dad
With hopes of seeking asylum,
Before everything went bad.

People seeking refuge
Are dangerously exposed
To inhumane conditions
When ports of entry are closed.

Through the desert they wandered
With others of the same mind
Seeking a place of safety
And leaving danger behind.

At least that's what they hoped for.
They hadn't had a clue
That cruelty existed
Here in America, too.

When they turned themselves in,
It's said that father and daughter
For several wearisome days
Hadn't had food or water.

The child started having
Seizures, the records show--
A nightmare for the father
Who suffered this tale of woe.

Possible dehydration,--
Doctors later expressed--
Shock and exhaustion led
To cardiac arrest.

A hospital in El Paso
Was where she took her last breath.
A new life was their goal;
What they encountered was death.

The head of the DHS--
Nielsen--places the blame
All on Jakelin's father.
The woman has no shame.

The callous disrespect
Of international law
Regarding asylum seekers
Reveals her major flaw.

Must we blame the victims?
We must ask ourselves why
There aren't better solutions
So more children won't die.

Sorry, Jakelin.
We must apologize
For our officials who thrive
On heartlessness and lies.

-by Bob B (12-15-18)

While many people all over the world
Are busily running to and fro
Engaging in cheerful holiday
Festivities, one thing we know:
Children are starving and dying in Yemen.

While Saudi Arabia nonchalantly
Covers up its heinous act
Of butchering a journalist,
We cannot ignore the fact
That children are starving and dying in Yemen.

While Congress fails to intercede
And chooses instead to bicker and quarrel
Over whether America should
Keep supporting a war that's immoral,
Children are starving and dying in Yemen.

While the oppressive Houthi rebels
Backed by Iran dig in their heels
And Saudi Arabia bombs the cities,
Intensifying a clash of ideals,
Children are starving and dying in Yemen.

When ports are blocked and money is scarce,
And fishermen's boats can't leave the shore,
And food and medical equipment
Are cut off in a three-year war,
Children are starving and dying in Yemen.

A 12-year-old girl weighs 28 pounds;
An 8-year-old boy weighs about 30.
Chances are slim that they will survive.
Who dares to say that war isn't *****?
Children are starving and dying in Yemen.

The people caught in the middle are certain
What the fiendish fighting portends:
A huge, unimaginable
Catastrophe unless the war ends,
For children are starving and dying in Yemen.

-by Bob B (12-14-18)

Light the candles on the menorah,
On the menorah, one by one.
Let the shamash be your attendant.
Gather together when day is done.

May the sounds of Hanukkah blessings
Fill your home with a cheerful mood.
Let your heart be brimming with wonder,
Joy and laughter and gratitude.

Celebrate the season with hope--
The yearly festival of lights.
Think about the oil that burned
For eight miraculous days and nights.

Spin the dreidel. How will it fall--
Nisht or gantz or halb or shtel?
Win or lose some Hanukkah gelt…
If you break even, you're doing well.

We reflect on where we have come from;
Struggles have never seemed to cease.
May people everywhere learn from the past.
For the sake of the children let there be peace.

Light the candles on the menorah,
On the menorah, one by one.
May the gentle glow of the candles
Soften the night in the setting sun.

-by Bob B (12-12-18)

°I know: the festival of Hanukkah has passed this year.
But it will return on 22 Dec. 2019.

(Can be sung to the tune of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town")

You'd better take heed; you'd better not bawl
When you read all the writing on the wall:
You are going to be IMPEACHED.
You can deny what you have done,
But you cannot fool everyone.
You are going to be IMPEACHED.
Mueller's digging deeper,
No matter what you do.
No matter what you think or say,
He's got the goods on you.
So! You'd better take heed; you'd better not bawl
When you read all the writing on the wall:
You are going to be IMPEACHED.

Putin can say he wasn't involved,
And you say, "Hey! Now I'm absolved."
You are going to be IMPEACHED.
Republican friends in Congress can try
To undermine the Mueller probe and lie.
You're still going to be IMPEACHED.
The people in this country are jumping up and down.
Finally there'll be oversight: the Dems have come to town.
So! You'd better take heed; you'd better not bawl
When you read all the writing on the wall:
You are going to be IMPEACHED.

You think that you are free and clear.
Keep your eyes open as storm clouds near.
You are going to be IMPEACHED.
You can say "No collusion" each day.
The truth of the matter won't go away.
You are going to be IMPEACHED.
Among your co-conspirators someone's spilled the beans;
Someone's told the truth about you,
And you know what that means.
So! You'd better take heed; don't weep and wail.
Worst case scenario: time in jail.
You are going to be IMPEACHED.

-by Bob B (12-10-18)

The president loves to carry on
About his gut and how it guides him.
How can anybody believe
A word of all of his nonsense besides him?

His gut encourages him to lie
And do it while he keeps a straight face.
It helps him create far-fetched stories
To dupe and galvanize his base.

His gut is great at seeking out
The shiftiest autocrats around,
So he can make America
His autocratic proving ground.

It's also very good at distracting
The country from what is REALLY going on--
At how to attract his servile lackeys
While he plays the role of the don.

It helps him to be great at knowing
How to pander to various groups
Such as evangelicals
Who kiss his you-know-what. Oops!

His gut tells him that scientists
Are full of baloney when they proclaim
That global warming is a threat
And humankind is largely to blame.

His gut says illegal voting
Is rampant. Doesn't he find it odd
That experts have found no proof at all
Of widespread voter fraud?

His gut says he hires the best people.
That makes him SO excited.
But how many have left their jobs?
How many have been indicted?

His gut said that he could pay money
To silence affairs and get away with it.
Did his gut let him know
Whether his wife would be okay with it?

His gut tells him that as the leader
He can do what he desires,
Which must include collusion, obstruction
Of justice, and calling dissenters liars.

Yes, I agree: gut feeling
Can be useful at times, BUT
Why can't the president
Start using reason and NOT his gut?

-by Bob B (11-30-18)

When I write a poem,
I find that all at once
A world of wonderment envelops me.
Life takes on new forms,
New thoughts come alive,
And tints of magic color all I see.

When I write a poem,
Longing grips my heart--
A longing to express what's deep inside.
The more I wander through
The wondrous realm of words,
Life becomes much more intensified.

Sometimes bright and hopeful,
Sometimes dark or gray,
Words say what my heart
Wants me to convey.

When I write a poem,
A passion, hope, or dream
Compels me to move forward word by word.
Once my poem's finished,
What else is there to say?
At least I've tried to let my voice be heard.

-by Bob B (11-29-18)

Racism in politics:
Shouldn't it be a deal breaker?
But in some places it
Appears to be a deal maker.

A candidate who jokes about
Public hangings and embraces
Voter suppression candidly
Can win elections in certain places.

She can wear a confederate cap
And pose with a rifle. Would she brag
About her segregation academy
Photo with a confederate flag?

Racism is a monster with
Tentacles reaching far and wide.
Many grasped by its hateful clutches
Often deny it, but how they've lied!

I used to think that humans had
Progressed, and my naïveté
Made it hard to accept that it
Existed in the world today.

But, oh, it is alive and well--
Sometimes blatant, sometimes systemic.
It must be countered by understanding,
Empathy, and fierce polemic.

-by Bob B (11-28-18)

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Tears stain your fearful face."
"The country where I was born and raised
Is now a frightening, deadly place."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Tell me why your tears don't cease."
"The journey north is hard, yet we
Yearn to live in a land of peace."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Have you lost faith in your caravan?"
"The president says that we are a threat;
He says that we're the bogeyman."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Because you’re hungry and have no shoes?"
"We've come seeking asylum, yet we
Are now hearing discouraging news."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
What is it that gives you pause?"
"We would like to be heard, but now
The president is changing the laws."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Do you fear the guard, or sentry?"
"They won't let us plead our case;
They're even blocking the ports of entry."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
Why the chaos? Why the disorder?"
"Authorities see our desperation;
They've shot tear gas over the border."

"Why are you crying, mother of two?
You are running and out of breath."
"My future may be uncertain here,
But one thing I know: home means death."

-by Bob B (11-27-18)

A year ago at the North Pole
Santa STILL had a sign
That read "For Sale," posted on
His slushy, sludgy property line.

We stopped by to pay a visit
And found Santa out of sorts.
He asked if we perchance had read
Recent global warming reports.

"Things are looking worse than ever,"
He said, on the verge of crying.
"The ice caps continue to melt,
And the world's coral reefs are dying.

"We'll be seeing flooding coastlines,
Food shortages, wildfires….
And some even have the nerve
To call the prognosticators liars!

"People ask if it's too late.
I tell them that it depends
We can stop the warming, BUT
We MUST reverse emissions trends.

"If the earth's temperature rises
Two point seven degrees, they write,
Above pre-industrial levels--
That's degrees in Fahrenheit--

"We'll face dire consequences:
Mass extinctions of animals and plants,
Wobbly countries, refugees….
These are NOT just foolish rants!

"The world economy must be transformed.
Come on! You have to use your head!
Renewable sources of energy
Are vital; otherwise, we're dead."

How sad it was to see a man
Who once had been so cheerful and jolly
Now become so sad and so
Demoralized by human folly!

He showed us his dilapidated
House, and then with a sigh,
He said, "I've got work to do,"
At which point we all said good-bye.

-by Bob B (11-24-18)

A couple with eyes swollen from grief
Sits at the Thanksgiving table,
Wanting to let the sadness depart,
But at the moment they aren't able.

You see, the husband and wife just lost
Their son in a shooting two weeks prior.
An angry gunman entered a club,
Took out his gun, and opened fire.

The topic of being thankful arises.
The couple wonders, should they be
Thankful that their country permits
Shootings to happen to such a degree?

Should they also be thankful that
So many lawmakers have been unwilling
To tackle a problem that's out of control--
To stop or curtail the senseless killing?

Likewise, should they be thankful that
Hypocrisy and greed exist?
They--along with callousness--
Allow such nightmares to persist.

That far too many members of Congress
And the highest court in all the land
Are out of step with most of the people,
Whose wishes they fail to understand:

Should the couple be thankful for that?
Will anything change when they're less distraught?
Deciding what to be thankful for
At the moment would take a lot of thought.

No, it's better not to ask them
While their hearts are rent from sorrow.
What they need right now is hope
That there could be a brighter tomorrow.

-by Bob B (11-23-18)

As you sit at your table on Thanksgiving Day
Voraciously gorging yourself on your feast,
Remember those who are suffering
In a proxy war in the Middle East.

The poor Yemenis have died by the thousands.
Many are on the brink of starvation.
Fourteen million, some people say,
Experience serious deprivation.

Blockades limit badly needed
Medical supplies and food.
It's a humanitarian crisis
Of unspeakable magnitude.

Warring ideologies place
Innocent people in between.
Yes, people are still committing
Atrocities in twenty eighteen!

A hospital hit by Saudi bombs…
A school bus blown to bits…
How many more will die before
Responsible parties call it quits?

Cholera is pervasive, and drugs
Cannot get to the people who need them.
Babies are dying because their mothers
Cannot produce the milk to feed them.

As of now our president
Would rather keep an open door
To weapons sales to Saudis instead
Of trying to stop the ghastly war.

Don't just send your thoughts to Yemen;
Let your thoughts turn into actions,
Lest your sincere hopes for peace
End up being worthless abstractions.

-by Bob B (11-22-18)

Let's say a foreign government
Butcher's a U.S. resident
In Istanbul, Turkey, while
You're the U.S. president.

What's more important to you
Is making more money down the line
By maintaining business ties
That NOT even ****** can undermine.

If greed is your primary motive,
You'll justify your point of view
By asking yourself the following question:
What would the current president do?

Let's say certain autocrats
Make dissenters disappear.
You're entranced by how the despots
Maintain their power that you hold dear.

If power is your primary motive,
You'll justify your point of view
By asking yourself the following question:
What would the current president do?

If people desperate for asylum
Come to your border seeking relief,
And you want to show the heartlessness
Of a xenophobic commander in chief,

Then show them that your heartlessness
Can justify your point of view
By asking yourself the following question:
What would the current president do?

If you want to stop an investigation
That possibly looks bad for you,
You can obstruct justice by asking,
What would the current president do?

If you think your unscrupulousness
Allows you to break every taboo,
You've learned a lot from asking yourself,
What would the current president do?

-by Bob B (11-21-18)

One thing we know about Trump is that
Whenever he criticizes someone,
It's often for something that he himself
Does or previously has done.

When he campaigned, he criticized
Obama for golfing. Such a crime!
Now that he's the president,
Trump is golfing all the time!

He blasted Obama for lack of transparency
And accused him of being feckless.
Trump's own transparency comes
To light only because he's so reckless.

Trump says the media should
Be less hostile and model civility.
Then he attacks the press and others
And carries it out with utmost hostility.

Our national security:
An issue to Trump, yet now it's known
How much the hypocritical man
Loves to use his unsecured phone.

Hillary's emails were often a target
Before and even since the election.
Trump's fake concern and constant
Complaints: examples of his projection.

Emails are now in the news again.
This time daughter Ivanka is using
Her private email account for government
Business! Isn't that amusing?

Oh, you hypocrites! You act as though
For you the rules do not apply.
But if there's any justice at all,
You'll get yours by and by.

-by Bob B (11-20-18)

"Agitated! People say
I'm 'agitated.' I'm NOT, **** it!
Why would I be agitated?
I say all of them can cram it!

"I missed a ceremony to honor
Fallen soldiers in France. Dare
I say it was a rainy day,
And rain wreaks havoc on my hair?

"Reports that Democrats have won
Tons of elections are beginning
To get on my nerves. It's fake news.
Republicans are really winning.

"They say I'm rude to reporters when
They ask difficult questions. So?
They should only ask about
Things that I want them to know.

"They also laugh when I say
More 'decorum' is what we need.
I wrote the book on propriety.
If only people would follow my lead.

"I couldn't wait to fire Sessions.
That man didn't have my back.
I have a new guy, Whitiker;
He'll be picking up the slack.

"It makes me furious when people say
I am paranoid and deluded.
They're afraid of all my power.
THAT is what I have concluded.

"Now I'm going to California
To show them what it really takes
To stop all these nasty fires:
All they need is a bunch of rakes."

-by Bob B (11-17-18)

A wave of BLUE has washed across
America. It has succeeded
In offering refreshing hope--
Something that is badly needed.

RED--suspicious--oftentimes
Regards BLUE with flaming derision.
Skeptical, it challenges
BLUE's unifying vision.

BLUE hopes to wash away
Signs of growing division and hate--
To put an end to skilled disruption
And odious chaos before it's too late.

Although people strive to try
To resist the wave, in due course,
The wave of BLUE can bring about
Positive change as it gathers force.

Perhaps the wave can also erode
Stubborn threats to freedom and rights
And dampen the unimaginable
Before the powder keg ignites.

Perhaps the wave will drown the practice
Of unfair treatment, voter suppression,
Verbal attacks, lies and deceit,
And unnecessary aggression.

The BLUE wave could very well
Tone down RED's fiery hue.
Now I feel more optimistic.
What's more, I love the color BLUE.

-by Bob B (11-15-18)

For what would be a change of pace,
Check out this unusual place:
Persecuted groups came to create
A place where they could discriminate.
1840s gold rush dreams
Preceded years of get-rich schemes.
Nutty religious cults explore
End-time prophecies galore.
Believe whatever if that's your conviction,
Even if your "facts" are fiction.
You can construct your own reality;
"Whatever goes" is gaining vitality.
Anti-intellectualism
Accompanies attacks on secularism.
Fewer people think it's not odd
For leaders to wait for messages from God.
Satan's causing natural disasters,
For he's out to get us, according to some pastors.
Hustlers hustle the hustled, you see:
Religious theatricality.
Snake oil is sold for a quick fix;
Someone always has a bag of tricks.
Charismatic visionaries
Hope their income never varies.
Though P.T. Barnum is gone, we can say
That humbuggery is here to stay.
Homeopathic cures are widespread.
Devious mediums talk to the dead.
Scare tactics of foreign "invasions"
Keep popping up on numerous occasions.
Some have rewritten the history of the South.
Fake news spread by cyber "word of mouth."
Commingling entertainment and news--
Called "infotainment"--can spread one's views.
Acting out your fantasy makes you feel
That fantasy--NOT reality--is real.
People are duped by made-up scares.
The "National Enquirer" peddles its wares.
Cosmetic surgery transforms features.
People are abducted by strange space creatures.
The fantasy industry proliferates:
Fox News infects all fifty states.
Prosperity-gospel preachers are abounding,
Hoping their spiritual interest is compounding.
The war on the devil is not metaphorical,
For scripture, some say, can't be allegorical.
There are always the paranoid ones
Who fear the confiscation of guns.
Groups attempt to change the rules
So creationism can be taught in the schools.
Anti-establishment's becoming the norm;
Mistrust of experts is taking greater form.
Lies don't matter as long as you
FEEL that what someone says is true.
Some fear "invaders" crossing the border;
Others fear a scary New World Order.
Distrust places the media on trial
And fosters climate change denial.
Some say vaccines do great harm
And GMO foods are cause for alarm.
They say gun laws will only provide
Guns to "bad guys" with something to hide;
That regulations on any level
Of finances are the work of the devil.
A con-man leader will always keep spinning
The fantasy that with him we'll be winning.
That fake news is harmful and only distracts
People entitled to making up facts.
Voter fraud's still the talk of the Right;
Conspiracy theories keep coming to light.
Con artists boldly state:
Conversion therapy makes you straight.
If an alternate universe is in demand,
Then WELCOME, ALL, TO FANTASYLAND!

-by Bob B (11-12-18)

°Inspired by Kurt Andersen's "Fantasyland: How America
Went Haywire"

"Never again." We have said
“Never again!” too many times.
The hours advance, leaving us
With doleful reminders when the clock chimes.

“Never again” echoes through
The deep canyons of empty hearts
As irretrievable hopes remain
Buried by anguish that never departs.

"Never again" emerged through pain--
Through unspeakable affliction,
Horrified by the shamelessness
Of facts being smothered by fiction.

"Never again" for a moment
Rose from yearnings, deep and profound
Until woeful indifference
Muffled the once inspirited sound.

"Never again" filled a chasm
Of bleak despair with promising goals,
Without which we're on the cliffs of uncertainty,
Constantly asking for whom the bell tolls.

-by Bob B (11-11-18)

A BLUE WAVE swept across
America in 2018--
A definite reaction to
The Trump propaganda machine.

The wave, if not a tsunami, still
Brought about significant gains
For hopeful Democrats in the House
Who had to counter nasty campaigns.

Okay, yes, it works both ways,
But Democrats mainly stayed on topic,
Stressing the issue of health care, about
Which Republicans' views are myopic.

Trump and his favorites focused on
A "caravan," creating tension
And unwarranted fear in supporters.
Now it's a topic they barely mention.

The Democrats did exceedingly well
Despite all the voter suppression.
Of course, the Right yells, "Voter fraud!"--
Which has become another obsession.

Now the work really begins.
Will Trump model greater civility?
At least there will be checks and balances
And hopefully accountability.

In the meantime, we will wait
And see how politicians behave
And hope that more people will see
The benefits of riding the wave.

-by Bob B (11-10-18)

We'd like to think that we could go
Out for an evening and not have to worry
That we are going to end up being
The helpless victim of a gunman's fury.

One would think that mass shootings
In which so many lives are lost
Might compel lawmakers
To stop the killings at any cost.

When so many shootings occur
On American soil year after year,
Don't enough people wonder
What the hell is happening here?

What are people waiting for?
How many more victims will die?
Must we sit by helplessly
While lawmakers turn a blind eye?

Another horrific act of violence
Occurred at the Borderline Bar & Grill
When a solitary gunman
Had one thing on his mind: to ****.

Eleven young people gunned down.
An officer shot dead as well.
Only survivors who were present
Can talk about their glimpse of hell.

The killer, too, lost his life
From a wound, possibly self-inflicted.
Some say in retrospect
His actions could have been predicted.

No one can fathom the suffering
Of the victims' parents, families and friends--
Their heartache and anguish from knowing that
Their loved ones met such violent ends.

Just two weeks before Thanksgiving!
This year it will be a chore
To ask the parents staring at empty
Seats what they are thankful for.

A call to action is the only response
To the horror that this nightmare evokes
When twelve innocent victims must
Lose their lives in Thousand Oaks.

Remember the victims:

Sgt. Ron Helus (54)
Sean Adler (48)
Cody Coffman (22)
Blake Dingman (21)
Jake Dunham (21)
Alaina Housley (18)
Daniel Manrique (33)
Justin Meek (23)
Mark Meza (20)
Kristina Morisette (20)
Telemachus Orfanos (27)
Noel Sparks (21)

A mother of one of the victims has said,
"Here are my words. I want gun control.
I don't want prayers. I don't want thoughts."

-by Bob B (11-9-18)

A day after the midterms, Trump
Showed that he was true to form,
Once again reminding us that
Effrontery is becoming the norm.

In a brazen act of utter defiance,
Trump fired Jeff Sessions,
The attorney general, which adds one more
Deed to the list of Trump's transgressions.

Ignoring the normal line of succession,
Trump installed as acting chief
A loyalist, since loyalty is
The current admin's leitmotif.

Matt Whitiker is the man--
Known as the West Wing's "eyes and ears."
Another case of obstruction of justice?
At least that's how the move appears.

Whitiker has a paper trail
A mile long, criticizing
The Mueller probe, so Trump wants him
In charge of the case. How NOT surprising!

The DOJ is supposed to be
Fair and impartial. Not anymore.
If Whitiker doesn't recuse himself,
We all know what's in store.

It's frightening how the DOJ
Is tied to the president's apron strings.
Innocent people have nothing to fear;
Desperate people do desperate things.

-by Bob B (11-8-18)

Oh, the sensation, the media frenzy,
The spotlight, the fame, the hullabaloo,
When anti-evolution laws
Were challenged by the ACLU!

The year: 1925.
The place: Dayton, Tennessee.
To say it was an extravaganza
Wouldn't be hyperbole.

For many people it was hard
To find a way to reconcile
Biblical accounts with science,
So science found itself on trial.

A young teacher, John T. Scopes,
Was willing to face prosecution
For breaking a Tennessee law for having
Given a lesson on evolution.

The "Monkey Trial" it was called.
The challenge meant swimming upstream
For the feisty lawyer Clarence Darrow,
Who helped to lead the defense team.

A prosecutor was William Jennings
Bryan, who with no apology
Loved to stir up outrage against
Evolutionary biology.

Defendant Scopes quickly found
It wouldn't take long for him to know
What it was like to have a part
In a multimedia reality show.

The courthouse received a make-over:
Platforms for newsreel cameras were built;
Extra spectator seats were added.
They were playing the trial to the hilt.

Concession stands sold food and drinks;
Toy monkeys were on display;
A chimp was dressed in a suit and fedora;
The clergy also joined the fray.

The media and the public loved it!
The country watched the trial progress.
What would win: science or scripture?
The answer was probably easy to guess.

After an eight-day trial, the jury
Deliberated. Nine minutes later
They had their verdict: guilty! How
Could someone question THEIR creator?

Scopes had actually never given
The lesson. That's what he later said.
Strangely, five days after the trial,
Williams Jennings Bryan dropped dead.

Laws later changed, but even during
Current times, some people feel
That stories from the Bible should be
In science textbooks. Now THAT'S surreal!

-by Bob B (11-6-18)

The cauldron bubbles and sputters and pops.
Odors from a foul witches' brew
Fill the mansion. It's called the Nightmare
On Pennsylvania Avenue.

A ghoulish warlock babbles gibberish,
Spreading deceit, anger, and fear.
He summons his lackey ghouls to his chamber.
They bow to the ghastly profiteer.

Their incantations reverberate
Through the rooms and down the halls.
The din stifles the voices of reason
And bounces off the windows and walls.

Witches assisting the grisly assembly
Grovel and spew nonsensical chatter,
While friendly ghosts, horrified,
Grab all their belongings and scatter.

The leading warlock raises his staff
To silence all the ear-piercing shrieking.
"Our work here has barely begun,"
He shouts, "in a manner of speaking.

"We have a lot more poison to spread
To circulate anxiety and doubt.
All we must do is stir the ***
To give them something to worry about.

"Fan the flames of division and discord.
My techniques are tried and true.
Keep 'em guessing; then you've got 'em.
And then you cater to the chosen few.

"We have more rivers to poison,
Coastlines to alter, lands to sell,
Coffers to fill, coffers to rob,
And voices to quiet. Welcome to hell!"

The glowering sycophants dance and cheer--
Thirsty for blood, eyes agleam.
"Dishonesty is the best
Policy," they fervently scream.

Oh, it's a frightening Halloween night
When one's worst nightmare comes true:
The gruesome, macabre, spine-chilling Nightmare
On Pennsylvania Avenue.

-by Bob B (10-31-18)

Insensitivity reigns supreme
At the White House. No, this isn't a dream.
You'd think that one would have more sense.
I guess we can't expect that from Pence.

Two days after eleven died
At a synagogue, shot inside
By an angry extremist--completely hate filled--
Who stated that ALL Jews should be killed,

The vice president, with little regard
For others' beliefs--why's that so hard?--
Introduced a "rabbi" whose views
Aren't respected by practicing Jews

At Lena Epstein's election campaign
In Michigan. Completely insane!
Is Pence defiant, or is he naïve?
Does he not care what others believe?

"Rabbi" Loren has been involved
With Jews for Jesus. They are resolved
To carry out their major ambition:
Converting Jews. Yes, that's their mission.

Many are outraged by the lack
Of sensitivity. Doesn't it smack
Of disrespect, brashness, and cheek--
A real kick in the pants, so to speak?

Do not tell me that reasons abound
Why there were no other rabbis around--
Rabbis whose messages wouldn't collide
With many beliefs of the people who died.

"Rabbi" Loren was there to address
The carnage in Pittsburgh, but also to bless
Republicans wanting a victory nod
From their pro-Republican God.

-by Bob B (10-30-18)

Being nasty can rile your critics,
Stir up your fans, and incite your base.
That nastiness can leave an ugly
Mark that's difficult to erase.

Being narcissistic might make
Your fans think you have inner strength,
Though others can see how catty and petty
You are when rambling on at length.

Saying you're a nationalist
Might make you think you sound patriotic,
Although you embolden neo-Nazis
And others who find your words hypnotic.

Dehumanizing people
Is cruel and has a disastrous effect.
It shows your carelessness, your lack
Of sympathy, and lack of respect.

Calling asylum seekers "invaders,"
Enemies who are infesting our land,
Spreads a political fiction--a hoax--
That dangerously gets out of hand.

Perverse culprits devour your words.
Unstable extremists can hear
A message no matter how you meant it,
Thinking you've put a bug in their ear.

Then the killers--equipped to the max
With all the deadly weapons they need--
Go on a violent shooting spree:
Death and injury guaranteed.

Rhetoric has consequences.
Words really matter a lot.
Violence breeds violence
When hatred is so carefully taught.

-by Bob B (10-30-18)

If you think Congress is out of step
With what the people desire today,
Let the candidates hear your voice;
It's time to send them on their way.
Vote!

If the past two years have been
A nightmare from which you want to awake,
And much of what you valued has been
Shot to hell, for goodness' sake,
Vote!

If honesty and integrity
Of a leader are important to you,
And you believe in checks and balances,
Then you know the right thing to do:
Vote!

If pre-existing conditions are
Important to you, and lawmakers dare
To weaken programs such as Social
Security and Medicare,
Vote!

If you care about equal access,
That citizens shouldn't have to fight
Restrictive laws preventing them
From voting, then please do what's right:
Vote!

If you think our leaders have been
Leading us down the rabbit hole,
And conflicts of interest and also major
Corruption have gotten out of control,
Vote!

If far-right extremism
Has no place in the White House, and when
The president praises autocrats
And scorns our loyal allies, then
Vote!

If you want an America
That has BOTH jobs and heart,
Where the leader's rhetoric
Doesn't tear the country apart,
Vote!

-by Bob B (10-29-18)

Eleven dead; six injured.
How does a person try to explain
The enormity of such a crime--
The inexplicable loss, the pain?

All were shot at a place of worship--
At a synagogue in Pittsburgh, P-A,
On what began as a peaceful morning
On a late October Sabbath day.

Early that morning no one could have
Imagined the horror the day would bring,
Even though we live in a time
When hatred seems to be in full swing.

It takes only ONE hater
To change the course of many lives
In a country where underneath
The peaceful appearance, violence thrives.

The president says that armed guards
Are what we need and not tougher laws.
He bows before the gun lobby,
Addressing the symptoms, but not the cause.

Helping refugees get settled:
For that the synagogue is known.
That was an issue that irked the killer,
Who was from here. Yes, homegrown!

Do we ignore red flag warnings
And turn our heads when someone spews
Hatred of groups such as Muslims,
Asylum seekers, gays, or Jews?

Do we ignore the poisonous words
That constantly drip down from the top?
At what point do the majority
Of people say: This must stop!

Give praise to those who strive for positive
Change with every heartfelt endeavor.
And hold in your heart the many people
Whose lives have now been changed forever.
_______

May the victims' lives inspire us all by showing us the power of love,
and may they rest in peace.

Joyce Fienberg
Richard Gottfried
Rose Mallinger
Jerry Rabinowitz
Cecil Rosenthal
David Rosenthal
Bernice Simon
Sylvan Simon
Daniel Stein
Melvin Wax
Irving Younger

And may thoughts of love and healing embrace the injured.

-by Bob B (10-28-18)

"They say I shouldn't use my phone
Because it's unsecure.
Anyone who tells me that
Is full of cow manure.
This talk about encryption--
That's a lot of bunk.
The thought of them taking my phone
Puts me in a funk.

"Some in my administration
Say that they foresee
Trouble if foreign spies are really
Listening to me.
Advisers fear that I might share
Secrets, but I say,
That's not easy 'cause I don't under-
Stand them anyway.

"How I love my cell phone
Because I love to tweet!
If they confiscated my phone,
I'd feel incomplete.
Having all my contacts in my
Cell phone really rocks.
I can get advice from all my
People down at Fox.

"I don't want my calls logged.
It really takes some *****
For my Chief of Staff to want to
Monitor my calls.
That's why I prefer to use
My private phone instead.
Who would even want to try
To get inside my head?

"Oh, Hillary's private server?
That's a different story.
Everything she does is in
A different category.
From rules that govern others
I feel I'm exempt.
That has never made my fans
Regard me with contempt.

"So they can't take my iPhone.
That would not be nice.
They say, 'Donald, it's a perfect
Location tracking device.
Spies collect your data
And know each confidant.'
I say, I'm the president,
And I'll do what I want!"

-by Bob B (10-26-18)

When there's a crisis, we'd like to think
The president would certainly know
How to unify the country--
To take the high road and NOT the low.

But, alas, Trump just can't
Seem to manage to set aside
His grievances and obtusely delivers
A message filled with cyanide.

An act of domestic terrorism--
Pipe bombs being sent through the mail
To Obama, the Clintons, Holder, and others--
A heinous act that's not small scale--

Is an attack on democratic
Values--a dangerous threat to peace.
But when Trump blames the victims, such
Acts of violence will not cease.

Yes, he said the deed was despicable,
But then he blamed CNN
For negative news reportage and lies.
And so here we go again!

Even though his words ring hollow
When he tries to stay on script,
We can see his true feelings
Come out whenever his mouth is unzipped.

Accepting no responsibility
For negative things he says or does,
He stirs up his crowds against other people.
Such behavior gives him a buzz.

Regarding the telling of lies, we know
That no politician ever
Has lied to the people as often as he.
But will he admit that he does it? Never!

Both fans and critics know that for him
The strategy is always the same:
Berate your critics, denounce the truth,
Incite your fans, and pass the blame.

Hopefully, the future will bring
A president we can respect again--
An honest one with integrity.
We have to put up with this one till then.

-by Bob B (10-25-18)

The 2018 election approaches.
Trump is carrying forth his plan
To stoke the fears of his base by talking
About a threatening caravan.

A caravan, he says, is coming,
Bringing bad people to the States.
It won't be long, he says, before
They'll be knocking on our gates.

Trump's M.O. is fearmongering.
He's always been so good at that!
When the "wrong" people show up,
You quickly remove the welcome mat.

This election's about Justice
Kavanaugh, he also says--
Kavanaugh who happens to have
Something in common with the pres.

Ironically, that which they have
In common is--without a doubt--
Something a decent person would
Certainly not be bragging about.

Trump also says this election
Is all about common sense,
Of which he has very little.
One thing we know: his ego's immense.

He's NOT talking about how he
Is chipping away at our health care,
Or how he gave tax breaks to
The wealthy. No, he wouldn't dare.

Or how he put us deeper in debt,
So the Republicans now will say,
We have to go after benefits.
To help the rich, someone must pay.

He isn't wrong when he maintains
That this election is all about him.
The GOP is the Party of Trump.
If they win, the future looks grim.

-by Bob B (10-23-18)

As life in Israel flourishes
For Israelis, it's not so fine--
As many conditions deteriorate--
For the poor people of Palestine.

Chances of a two-state solution
Dwindle, which is not a good sign
As settlement expansions increase,
Affecting the people of Palestine.

For Palestinians imprisoned in Gaza,
The infrastructure is in a decline.
Will Gaza be uninhabitable for
The poor people of Palestine?

Defining what is their land, Israeli
Lawmakers draw a hard line:
This land belongs to the Jews, they say,
Forgetting the people of Palestine.

Cuts in economic aid
And hospital care will undermine
The health and quality of life
Of the poor people of Palestine?

Will an Israeli apartheid regime
Be the ultimate design,
Or will there be hope for the poor
Struggling people of Palestine?

-by Bob B (10-22-18)

After two full weeks of denial
And obfuscation, the Saudis have shed
Their previous stories, admitting that now
Jamal Khashoggi indeed is dead.

The last minutes of the journalist's life
Had to be excruciating.
He entered the Saudi consulate
Where fifteen or so men were waiting.

The Saudis say a fight broke out--
A fistfight during attempted "rendition."
It's more likely the fifteen thugs
Were there in Istanbul on a mission.

It's hard to hear the Saudis' account
And NOT notice a major flaw:
A guy would take on fifteen others,
One of whom had a saw?

If the death was an accident,
Where's the body? Out with the story!
The Turks say that evidence
Shows an outcome rather gory.

Denying any involvement in
Jamal Khashoggi's gruesome demise,
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Hopes the world believes their lies.

That's a "big first step," says Trump,
Sitting with some of our weapons makers.
Sanctions can't in any shape
Or form be weapons deal breakers.

Speaking about a congressman
Who had assaulted a journalist--Why?
Just because!--at a rally, Trump
Said THAT'S his kind of guy.

"The Trump Effect" is what it's called,
Encouraging other leaders to dare
To threaten the lives of journalists
And stifle free speech everywhere.

-by Bob B (10-20-18)

All is NOT well in the grasslands.
The animals are fit to be tied.
The actions of the crafty wolves
Have left the rest of them horrified.

"How will we EVER be able
To keep democracy afloat,"
The antelope asked, "if the wolves
Don't allow us all to vote?

"In many sections of these grasslands,
Shameless wolves are doing their best
To hold voter registration
Hostage, keeping voters suppressed."

"They aim to control voter turnout,"
The deer added. "That's their hope.
Their sneaky ways to manipulate
Elections push the envelope!

“They stall and seek petty reasons
To take names off voting lists.
Fair and honest elections are
In jeopardy if this persists.”

"It's so close to election day,
Our courts are reluctant to raise objections,"
The buffalo said. "Some of the wolves
Are even running in the elections!

"Humph! They stole a Supreme Court justice.
Then they rammed another one through.
Now they're still suppressing voters.
What more damage will they do?"

"Winnowing down voter rolls!
Their strategies should be illegal!"
The fox chimed in. Looking around,
He asked, "Where is our dear friend Eagle?"

The absent eagle wanted no
Responsibility tied to her name.
She couldn't stop the out-of-control
Wolves, and hid her head in shame.

-by Bob B (10-19-18)

The king of cover-up is at it again,
Downplaying financial ties
And close connections with other countries,
Especially when questions arise.

First it was with Putin and Russia.
How much collusion remains to be seen.
Conspiracy in election meddling?
Whitewashing is now routine.

And then there was the hush-money
To cover-up some hanky-panky.
Dissimulation's easy when
You've got money in the banky.

It looks as though you must deny
And try to hide actions you rue,
But calling your fling "horse face," is that
A gentlemanly thing to do?

Now the cover-up deals with the Saudis--
With the crown prince and the Saudi king.
Denial…admittance…rogue players…
It has such a familiar ring.

After bragging over and over
About the millions of dollars he's made
From wealthy Saudis, his words are now
Exploding like a hand grenade.

When the leader has conflicts of interest,
Critics, pundits, and others who know
Where his interests really lie,
Shrug and say, "We told you so!"

He says he has a "natural instinct
For science." Isn't THAT a joke!
I wish his "natural instinct" was for
Telling the truth whenever he spoke.

-by Bob B (10-18-18)

As the wind blows across the fiery desert,
The desperate people of Yemen sigh.
How many more will suffer today?
How many more children will cry?
A Saudi-led coalition
Strikes with a heartless disregard,
Leaving behind misery--
Death and destruction its calling card.

Choking the poor country, the Saudis
Organized a major blockade,
Cutting off vital medicine,
Food, and water, and stopping all trade.
Cluster bombs have fallen on cities.
Thousands of innocent people have died.
Hospitals and schools have been hit.
How can such horror be justified?

Millions of people risk starvation
If all the bombing does not end.
The Saudis hunger for more and more weapons,
And they have billions of dollars to spend.
A bomb made by Lockheed Martin
Hit a Yemeni school bus
Killing fifty-one people, and hurting
Many more, thanks to us.

A U.S. bomb hit funeral mourners;
One destroyed a marketplace.
That our support causes such
Atrocities is a disgrace.
The people suffer from cholera--
Something that is hard to avoid
When a country's sanitation
Facilities are being destroyed.

A massive humanitarian crisis
Plagues the country despite appeals
To end the conflict by caring nations,
While major players dig in their heels.
Sunni-Shiite conflicts continue
With innocent citizens caught in between.
Callous leaders turn their heads,
Afraid to speak up or intervene.

-by Bob B (10-17-18)

Despite multiple accusations
Of ****** impropriety,
Trump still demonstrates
A false display of piety.
He knows his loyal fans out there
Would never, ever truly deceive him.
He denies whatever he wants
And they will all believe him.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh
Aspires for both fame and glory.
Somehow he got people to
Give credence to his manicured story.
Following Trump's slick advice,
He thought, "Hey, why not try it?
Whatever they accuse me of,
I will out-and-out deny it."

Putin said he hadn't meddled
In our twenty sixteen elections.
Although we know that Internet trolls
Were following his cunning directions.
Putin merely had to say,
"Mr. Trump, I did not do it."
That is all that Trump needed
To say to the world, "You see: I knew it."

Trump asked the Saudi king
If he had had a journalist killed
In Istanbul. That is where
Jamal Khashoggi's blood had been spilled.
The king and prince denied it. Trump,
Satisfied, said, "You see:
The king said they didn't do it.
His denial's enough for me."

Just deny whatever you've done.
That's the message we are getting.
Having to pay consequences
Can stifle your plans and be upsetting.
Just deny it, and you will have
All of your fans believing your tale.
Turn them all against the victim
To save your *** and stay out of jail.

-by Bob B (10-16-18)

Kanye West visited Trump
At the White House, and man, what a scene!
His words were bouncing off all the walls,
Just like a ball in a pinball machine.

His disjointed rantings and ravings
Made little if any sense.
He ****** up to the president
More than even Michael Pence.

Rambling about the 13th Amendment,
The Unabomber, and then trap doors,
He ended the strange concoction of thoughts
With a weird reference to thirteen floors.

To him, Trump is a father figure.
To prove how much he is fan,
Whenever he wears his MAGA cap,
It makes him feel like Superman.

Illegal guns, tasting fine wines,
And liberals controlling blacks
Through racism? You wanted to say,
Calm down, Kanye. Try to relax.

One thing is certain: We can see
From trying to follow his monologue threads,
That Kanye needs some serious help.
Kanye, please get back on your meds!

-by Bob B (10-14-18)

At the Saudi Arabian Consulate,
In Istanbul, Turkey, I hear
Something dreadful happened, although
Details are as yet unclear.

Saudi born Jamal Khashoggi,
Journalist for the Washington Post,
Entered the consulate knowing that
It might not be a welcoming host.

An Apple Watch might seem useless.
Khashoggi's Watch, nevertheless,
Recorded his brutal beating and ******,
According to the Turkish press.

But was it an Apple Watch, or had
Turkish authorities bugged the room?
Whatever the case, people are certain
That that’s where Khashoggi met his doom.

We know he entered the building whole.
We're waiting to hear more news releases,
For many fear that the journalist,
Exited the building in pieces.

When asked if he'd condemn the Saudis
If they had committed the ghastly deed,
Trump at first appeared reluctant
To criticize them or intercede.

The Saudis pay billions of dollars
For weapons, he said, to the USA.
And what's-his-name wasn't even
An American citizen anyway.

Later, Trump admitted that
We need a thorough investigation.
But sanctions involving money? No,
That would severely hurt our nation.

Meanwhile, the Saudis **** innocent
Yemenis with the weapons they buy,
And rectitude falls by the wayside
As bank accounts multiply.

-by Bob B (10-13-18)

Promise to nominate a judge
Who will reverse previous decisions.
Relish the opportunity
To fan the flames of people's divisions.

Refuse to provide the senators
With all of the documents that they need
To allow for careful, researched judgment.
Your nominee will be guaranteed.

Be sure the person you nominate
Will have your back if things get hairy.
Agreeing that you're above the law
Is absolutely necessary.

Let ideology be
The key factor for stacking the Court.
Your starry-eyed supporters will
Give you their undying support.

Train your nominee to behave
Just like you when at a hearing.
Your base will consequently find
The person even more endearing.

If any dirt might come up,
Limit the background investigation
To make it essentially a sham.
And lie without reservation.

Persuade Republicans in Congress
To sycophantly do your bidding.
You scratch their backs; they'll scratch yours.
Works like a charm. I'm not kidding!

Belittle dissenters. People who don't
Support you, you humiliate.
Stick to this plan, for that's how you
Are going to make this country great.

-by Bob B (10-5-18)

"When your daddy's filthy rich,
Take the opportunity
To use his wealth so you'll become
A SELF-MADE billionaire like me.

"Dubious tax schemes help a lot
When Daddy Trump's income waxes.
You and he can benefit from
Committing fraud and dodging taxes.

"A sham corporation allows
You to disguise millions in "gifts."
Improper tax deductions
Speed along these money shifts.

"Undervalue real estate holdings
By millions of dollars. We've deduced
That when the property's transferred, your
Tax bill will be greatly reduced.

"Be creative, explore loopholes--
Even deception and obfuscation.
If you're under scrutiny,
Feign utter indignation.

"Later, when your fortune increases,
Say that you have serious concerns
About the need for anyone
To see your personal tax returns.

"****** your fans by spinning your tale.
Lie, cheat, do what you can
To let them think their president
Is from the start a SELF-MADE man."

-by Bob B (10-3-18)

Hey, Judge Kavanaugh,
What should people think
When they hear all about
How much you liked to drink?
You can play it down, of course,
But one thing's very clear:
When you went to school, your friends
Knew you liked your beer.

You showed up at your hearing with
All guns a blazing!
Your little friend Lindsey Graham
Thought you were amazing.
It doesn't really matter to him
If you're wrong or right.
People say that Graham has
Bigger goals in sight.

You are bound and determined to be
On our highest court.
You THINK you're qualified, but something
Tells us you fall short.
A judge-like character
Is ONE thing that's required.
But your impartiality
Leaves much to be desired.

Sure you have your fans who say
You are a decent man.
Republicans are using you
As part of their master plan.
Your shining record doesn't mean
That you weren't once a ****.
Now that you've cleaned up your act
You want to do "God's work."

Call your attacks a smear if you want,
But we have had enough.
America deserves a justice
Who is up to *****.
If up to par, what will further
Investigations show?
That you deserve to be a yes,
Or will you be a no?

-by Bob B (9-30-18)

Many speakers of English have trouble
Knowing which pronoun they should be using.
Why do they find "I" or "me"
Or "she" or "her" so confusing?

"Between you and I" is a phrase
That many speakers of English say.
"Between you and me" is spot on.
Don't let "I" get in the way.

"Her brother and her went to the movie."
How could "her" go to a show?
"She and her brother" actually went.
Isn't that easy? Don't say no.

"The present is from Julie and I."
From "I"? No, no, that can't be.
Here's what we really should be saying:
"The present is from Julie and me."

"Her and I have known each other
For many years." I hear that said.
Ouch! Let "she" replace the word "her."
It should be "she and I" instead.

If one or more pronouns are used in a phrase,
Here's a tip that's kind of fun:
If you're not sure which one to use,
Always try them one by one.

For example, take the phrase
"Me and Tom like apple pie."
Tom likes pie; I like it, too.
So, it should be "Tom and I."

There you have it. For someone like
You and me, this is a cinch.
You and I will know the correct
Pronoun to use when we're in a pinch.

-by Bob B (9-29-18)

We hobble along with outrage fatigue
And watch as nothing ever exhausts
Our Machiavellian leaders' use
Of the media to win at all costs.

False story lines prevail.
To hell with accuracy and precision.
Sowing distrust of higher learning
Solidifies their paranoid vision.

Watch how their destructive disdain
For expertise gains vitality
As people's opinions and feelings stomp
On any form of objective reality.

Watch as they rewrite history;
Notice how data can be erased
As they become suspicious of much
Information that's science-based.

Language becomes weaponized:
Hyperbole, salacious lies,
And slippery superlatives
Celebrate truth's demise.

Party loyalty: that is key.
All that matters is the sale.
Hijacking democracy
Becomes the goal: the holy grail.

Mobilized by grievance, they
Inflame fear and anger. They hope
That we will find scapegoats to blame
When we are at the end of our rope.

A general illiteracy
On issues that affect our lives
Keeps us all in doubt while they
Create fake news and sharpen their knives.

Ah, how they want you to fear
Government, which is ironic,
For they themselves are government.
Look at their smiles, cold and sardonic.

Give equal weight to both
Sides of arguments, they say.
That's how they can justify
Bigotry and lead us astray.

While extremist views go mainstream,
Blurred lines make life hazy.
Keep watering narcissism,
And you will see it grow like crazy.

Their careful manipulation of language
Proves how much their rhetoric's swollen.
The people find it hard to accept
That basic freedoms are being stolen.

As we lament the death of truth
And wonder how it came to pass,
Before we cast blame we must
Peer into the looking glass.

-by Bob B (9-28-18)

°Inspired by "The Death of Truth" by Michiko Kakutani

What happened in Georgetown stays in Georgetown.
Judge Kavanaugh, that's what you said.
But maybe that's  not always the case,
For now you see that stories spread.

If you are the goody two shoes
That Republicans say you are,
Prove to us that you have what
It takes to be their shining star.

Gang rapes? Drunken parties?
Serious charges for a youth.
What happened there behind closed doors?
We just want to know the truth.

Survivors are merely asking for further
FBI investigations
To get to the bottom of all of this.
These are serious accusations.

One thing that they have done
Or at least say that they will do
Is take a lie detector test.
Maybe YOU should take one, too.

"This poor man's life is being ruined."
That is what your fans are saying.
They ignore how others' lives
Have been affected. That's dismaying.

Look at the hollow hypocrisy
Of members of Congress who turn their backs
On women who have struggled to
Survive violent ****** attacks.

Some say that the Democrats
Are experts at how to lie and cheat.
But we've seen that Republicans
In Congress are masters of deceit.

Holding back pertinent
Information is not the best
Way to show that a nominee
Makes the grade--passes the test.

Judge Scalia's position was kept
Open for over 400 days!
Now they want to rush to judgment,
Ramming you through with no delays!

A thorough study's important, but
Republicans don't give a ****.
The confirmation process here
Has turned into a real sham.

-by Bob B (9-25-18)

The telephone is constantly ringing;
I’m on the verge of insanity.
It’s all I can do when answering calls
Not to break out in profanity.

It doesn’t help to block a number,
For callers will use another.
How many do they have access to?
Twenty? Forty? Brother!

The scammers are the worst, of course--
Each a conniving crook!
But telephone solicitors?
Also bad in my book!

If they would only take NO for an answer,
It wouldn’t be so bad.
But when they importune me for money,
That’s when I get mad.

Sometimes solicitors overstep
The bounds of familiarity;
If they do, I’ll flatly refuse
To donate to their charity.

I hate to be rude, but it’s hard not to
Say something mean.
As I said, I'm at the point
Of saying something obscene!

It MUST be self-defeating for them,
For I know I'm not alone
When I say they’re forcing me
To never answer my phone.

The “Do Not Call List”? What a joke!
Robocalls? A pain.
All of us in phone-call hell
Have the right to complain.

This phone-call madness will have its place
In the annals of demonology,
For we know one thing: it is one
Of the curses of modern technology.

-by Bob B (9-13-18)

Seventeen years ago
America was shaken to the core.
Since not too long after that
We've been involved in a non-stop war.

Homeland security
Became an issue that since then
Hoped to assure Americans
That such attacks won't happen again.

During the past seventeen years
Many measures have been taken
To make us safe; however, it's time
For sleeping minds to reawaken.

Lacking foresight, our president
Has gone after the people who
Have worked to make us safe. The man
Doesn't seem to have a clue.

Discrediting investigators,
Removing them from key positions,
And pulling security clearances
Because of paranoid suspicions

Will only make us vulnerable
To future terrorist attacks.
Watch how his Republican friends
In Congress support him. Political hacks!

The president also hates
When investigators eye
American involvement with
The Russian mafia. We know why.

It's hard to watch as the president--
With almost each careless endeavor--
Stupidly goes out of his way
To make us more unsafe than ever.

-by Bob B (9-11-18)

A female tennis player might give
An umpire a piece of her mind
When she disagrees with him.
Consequently, she is fined

Or penalized in other ways.
However, if the player's a male,
He can spit, destroy his racket,
Yell, and viciously assail

The umpire at a tournament.
He could even resort to calling
The ump an "abortion," and little or nothing
Happens to him. Now THAT'S appalling!

A candid man might be considered
"Direct" or "outspoken." Isn't that rich?
But if you are an assertive women,
You are basically called a "*****."

A man who loudly demonstrates
At a Senate hearing in an angry fashion
Could be considered "aggressive" or even
Be called a man of "impetuous passion."

A woman, however, who interrupts
A Senate hearing with passion hears
Herself being called "hysterical" when
She's led away to Senators' sneers.

Sexism? Discrimination?
Inequality? Status quo?
It certainly appears that way.
The double standard has got to go!

-by Bob B (9-11-18)

The temple was swarming with total excitement.
Eagerly, the scholars awaited
The young priest's Dharma talk--
A day long anticipated.

The nervous priest stood before
The sangha as varied as the songs of the birds--
From simple folk to top-notch scholars,
There to scrutinize all of his words.

With a quivering voice, he started out.
After he felt more self-confidence,
He spoke as one who demonstrated
Compassion, knowledge, and commonsense.

After the service, a group of scholars
Stood in a cluster off to the side
And criticized the young priest's talk
With words arrogant and snide.

"So typical of a novice," they said.
"Shallow ideas." "Trivial thoughts."
"I didn't find it moving at all."
"Choppy and uneven in spots."

An elderly man heard their complaints
And asked, "What was so unclear?
The young priest said the Buddha's name.
That was all I needed to hear."

With that, he silently walked away,
Leaving them with a message so brief.
Speechless, they stared at the wise myokonin°°
With a mixture of awe and disbelief.

-by Bob B (9-9-18)
°Based on an old Buddhist anecdote
°°In the Shin Buddhist tradition, pious followers whose simple words represent the depth of their faith

Recently, in the "New York Times,"
An op-ed essay has hit the press,
Thus causing the president
To send out vicious tweets in distress.

Claiming to be a senior White House
Official, the writer wants to let
The people know that even though
Trump is unhinged, not to fret.

Because Trump is ill-informed,
Impulsive, and given to constant lying,
He can't be trusted to handle the job,
Which to many is terrifying.

He's impetuous, adversarial,
Reckless, petty, and quick to revile.
Any good has happened DESPITE
And not BECAUSE of his leadership style.

The writer insists that our knowing
One special thing will lessen the gloom:
Even though Trump is a mess,
Luckily, there are "adults in the room."

Thwarting the president's misguided
Impulses is the task
Of these "adults," each of whom
Has to hide behind a mask.

To publish the piece anonymously
Some people feel is wrong.
But, hey, it only confirms something
That we have known all along.

-by Bob B (9-6-18)