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Jun 2022 · 83
Truth or Rumor?
Bob B Jun 2022
Stories abound that Putin is ill.
The Kremlin, of course, denies it.
You could go over and check for yourself,
But, frankly, I wouldn't advise it.

You could find yourself sitting in prison
Or even be poisoned like some
Who spoke the truth about Putin, who wants
To keep you under his thumb.

Consider all the people who've died
Because of his current war.
The pain and suffering that he has caused
Are truly hard to ignore.

Could it be cancer that's spread through his body?
Perhaps a malignant tumor?
I'm sure there are many folks in the world
Who hope it's not merely a rumor.

-by Bob B (6-1-22)
Jun 2022 · 90
What's Going On?
Bob B Jun 2022
This poetry site is so quirky.
Its value has gotten quite murky.
Whatever its goal,
It's out of control.
I'd say it's becoming a turkey.

It needs a skillful technician.
And frankly I have a suspicion
That no one's in charge,
Which by and large,
Explains its current condition.

-by Bob B (6-3-22)
May 2022 · 73
Grief Can Kill
Bob B May 2022
Powerful grief can overwhelm us.
It doesn't merely make us feel blue.
At times it's more insidious,
For it is able to **** us, too.

Joe and Irma García had been
Married for twenty-four years until
A killer with an assault weapon had
A deadly mission to fulfill.

Nineteen elementary students
And two teachers were gunned down
Senselessly, brutally,
In what was a quiet Texan town.

Irma was one of the teachers killed.
Two days after his wife had been slain,
Joe dropped dead from a heart attack
Brought about by unbearable pain.

Their four kids are orphans now.
May we hold in our hearts today
The memory of Joe and Irma,
Who never should have died this way.

-by Bob B (5-29-22)
Bob B May 2022
Nineteen children were killed yesterday
In a small Texan town while at school.
Two adults were killed as well.
This is what happens in a land where guns rule.

When does enough become enough?
When do we stop being pushed around
By those who stifle our commonsense
Attempts to keep our kids above ground?

When do we say "Enough!" to those
Politicians who thrive on donations
By members of the huge gun lobby
Who fight to resist gun regulations?

Why don't they see that the Second Amendment
Is NOT a weapons free-for-all?
And yet when it comes to life-saving laws,
Callous, palm-greased lawmakers stall.

These deaths are the "price of freedom" some say.
Freedom? No, give me a break!
These deaths are the price of ignorance.
Our children's future is at stake.

Today, hundreds of loved ones are grieving.
Their lives will never again be the same.
But will these killings rouse people to action?
I doubt they will, and that's a shame.

-by Bob B (5-25-22)
May 2022 · 169
A Mass Shooting in Buffalo
Bob B May 2022
Hundreds of people are grieving today
Because of a problem that won't go away.
Attempts at solutions are kept at bay.
A mass shooting in Buffalo.

America's love affair with its guns--
Weapons that could be measured in tons--
Is killing parents, daughters, and sons.
A shooting--this time in Buffalo.

Just imagine: you go to the store.
A killer abruptly appears at the door.
Within minutes you're dead on the floor.
This time it happened in Buffalo.

The killer set out to perforate
Bodies with bullets because of hate.
For the ten who died, help came too late
In a mass shooting in Buffalo.

Too many people are killed each year.
Not to act makes one thing clear:
We will continue to live in fear.
Look what happened in Buffalo.

The bells are tolling repeatedly.
When might they toll for you or me?
When the next killer goes on a spree--
Just like the one in Buffalo…
And Sacramento (2022)…
And Boulder (2021)…
And El Paso (2019)…
And Parkland (2018)…
And Las Vegas (2017)…
And Orlando (2016)…
And Charleston (2015)…
And at Sandy Hook (2012)…

-by Bob B (5-15-22)
Bob B May 2022
A couple decided to stop
To look for some books in a shop.
Content with just four,
They walked out the door
With "*** After Sixty" on top.

The wife sat down and read through it.
"Honey," she said, "let's pursue it.
I like the suggestions,
But one of my questions
Is DO you think YOU can still do it?"

-by Bob B (5-12-22)
Bob B May 2022
Where are mental institutions
To help those in dire need?
Within our current societal framework,
We can see where their absence can lead.

Closing the doors of facilities
Has posed a problem--one that defeats
The very attempt to keep psychotic,
Insane people from wandering the streets.

I'm not talking "insane asylums"
Or "snake pits" by any means,
Such as the ones we've seen in the movies
Filled with unforgettable scenes.

No, I'm talking facilities where
Patients receive necessary
Psychiatric help, which can
Hopefully be temporary.

At least those who are dangerous to
Themselves or others would have a place
To access humanitarian aid.
It's a problem we have to face.

Money? Is it all about money
That taxpayers refuse to spend
To build the institutions that
Would help and protect us in the end?

Shame on us as a country if
We thoughtlessly choose to overlook
What could be a proper solution
Merely because of our pocketbook.

-by Bob B (5-12-22)
May 2022 · 375
How Many, Putin?
Bob B May 2022
How many more Ukrainian people
Are you going to ****, Putin?
How much more innocent blood
Do you plan to spill, Putin?

How many more vicious lies
Are you going to tell, Putin?
How many more atrocities
Will you condone as well, Putin?

How many more soldiers committing
War crimes will you praise, Putin?
How many more innocent people’s
Homes will you raze, Putin?

How many more agonizing
Cries will you ignore, Putin?
How many more times will you try
To justify your war, Putin?

How many times can you look into
The mirror and fail to see, Putin,
The egomaniacal, heartless, cruel
Monster you’ve come to be, Putin?

-by Bob B (5-11-22)
May 2022 · 89
Graduating FROM...
Bob B May 2022
Remember: schools graduate students;
It's NOT the other way around.
Students do NOT graduate schools
But FROM schools. And yet I've found

That many speakers confuse the expression,
Turning it around, and hence,
When they say they graduated
A school, it ends up making no sense.

Therefore, say you graduated
FROM a high school or college, please.
To say it correctly doesn't take
A great deal of expertise.

Schools that graduate many students
Ought to clearly and directly
Teach their students to say which school
They graduated FROM correctly.

-by Bob B (5-9-22)
May 2022 · 96
If I Were a Woman...
Bob B May 2022
If I were a woman, my
Reproductive rights should be
MY business alone, not YOURS.
YOU are not my referee.

If I became pregnant through ****,
My voice would be loud and firm:
It’s up to me if what is growing
Inside me should be carried to term.

I would not listen to hypocritical
Views about protecting life
From those whose words of shame and blame
Ignore my feelings and cut like a knife.

I would not listen to people who
Ignore what should be a woman's right.
And yet to secure this right, women
Always seem to be having to fight.

I would seek out expert advice
And weigh the options to do what's best.
I know it wouldn't be an easy
Decision. To that I would attest.

No, I'm not a woman, you see.
My name certainly gives me away.
But still I try to listen to
What many women have to say:

"You have the right to express your displeasure.
Yes, that would be fair and fine.
But I'll stay out of YOUR insides,
And you, in turn, stay out of MINE."

-by Bob B (5-4-22)
Apr 2022 · 87
Death
Bob B Apr 2022
Compared to the age of the universe,
Our time on Earth is rather brief.
Still, the longer we live, the more
We'll walk hand and hand with grief.

Death knocks on the doors of others
And calmly ushers them away.
No matter how much a person resists,
Death will have its final say.

When losing family and friends,
It's hard to describe the pain we feel.
But when we consider our own demise,
The whole idea is oddly surreal.

The thought of suddenly being no more--
At least in our current ****** form--
Is totally foreign to us, for knowing
The world through our senses has been the norm.

Someday my favorite chair
Will no longer feel my rear.
The sound of my voice--my cries, my laughter--
Will not reach a single ear.

When I go, I’ll join the ranks
Of billions of other people who
Have died before me, which reminds me
That having to die is nothing new.

To let go and face the unknown,
Not to worry, not to fret…
We know that life is constant change--
That death is part of life--and yet….

-by Bob B (4-26-22)
Apr 2022 · 124
The New Battle Cry
Bob B Apr 2022
Republicans used to believe
That democratic values will win.
Lately, however, they sing a new tune:
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

Power is what excites them now.
"Voter fraud!" is what they spin.
Voter suppression's their goal as they cry:
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

McCarthy and McConnell knew
The mess that Donald Trump was in,
And yet they chose to honor the motto:
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

It used to be that any support
For an autocrat would be a sin.
Now in bed together they shout:
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

To gain more power, they gerrymander
Districts in states, which is akin
To trashing our system as they proclaim:
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

Deceitful methods to stay in power
They will use and feel no chagrin.
The battle cry uniting them is
To hell with democracy; save your skin!

-by Bob B (4-22-22)
Bob B Apr 2022
Despite what people want to believe,
COVID hasn’t disappeared,
And yet there's less attention being given
To masks and precautions, which is weird.

The virus continues to mutate, and though
It's maybe less potent than earlier forms,
The clouds haven't dissipated,
So we can expect future storms.

Even though the virus seems weaker,
People still grow ill and die.
The vaccinated are more protected;
There's no need to wonder why.

It's sad to see restrictions being
Lifted too early in certain cases.
Variants of the virus are spreading
Rapidly in certain places.

Conspiracy theories abound regarding
The COVID vaccine, sad to say.
But I'll take my chances with the vaccine
Over COVID any day.

And if you think that COVID was bad,
Experts warn us not to be smug.
Chances are good that in the future
We will see a deadlier bug.

In the meantime, I'll keep getting
My booster shot, and I know I'm
Going to be wearing my mask in buildings
And also on planes for a long, long time.

-by Bob B (4-21-22)
Bob B Apr 2022
How I look at the world each day
Is a curious interplay
Of fire and earth, cadent and fixed,
And often my impressions are mixed.
The world entices me from the cocoon
Of my Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

How I shine and how I feel…
To find a balance would be ideal.
The goal, of course, is to do what's right;
The nuances are ever so slight.
It's just a matter of being in tune
With my Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

Although I'm more complex than this,
Their strong influence is hard to miss.
Understanding who I am
Partly comes from the diagram
Of what occurs when they commune--
My Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

It isn't just as simple as that--
My Sun and Moon both having a chat.
It might make me ill at ease
To ignore the many intricacies
Of aspecting planets. Never jejune
Are my Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

Add my Rising Sign and see
How other people look at me.
Virgo adds more earth to tame
And somewhat soften my Leo flame.
There's no reason to ever impugn
My Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

Finding answers within and without
Helps to dispel the burden of doubt.
Tools to study the self abound;
What we discover can be profound.
Knowledge of self comes never too soon
With my Leo Sun and my Taurus Moon.

-by Bob B (4-19-22)
Apr 2022 · 100
Holiday Massacre
Bob B Apr 2022
Ramadan, Passover,
And Easter coincide this year,
But THAT doesn't matter to Vladimir Putin,
For he has a war to engineer.

He has arranged for a senseless war
To be carried out on Ukrainian soil.
Why be concerned about human compassion
When there is a neighboring land to despoil?

Geneva Conventions to Putin mean nothing.
Depraved dictators make their own rules,
Bombing civilian hospitals,
Train stations, homes, and schools.

The world has witnessed other examples
Of paranoid, cruel, despots before
Who have no qualms about committing
Monstrous atrocities during a war.

To massacre innocent people so
Is nothing short of genocide.
When the war is over how many
Innocent people will have died?

Whatever you are celebrating--
If anything--don't refrain
From holding a special place in your heart
For the people suffering in Ukraine.

-by Bob B (4-17-22)
Apr 2022 · 114
Don't Be Afraid to Say Gay
Bob B Apr 2022
Florida wants to show
Its hateful, nasty side
By lashing out at gays
With zeal that it won't hide.
Governor DeSantis
Will not be outdone.
He wants to make a case
Where there's really none.
But who cares what
DeSantis has to say?
Turn his words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

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

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

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

-by Bob B (4-11-22)
Apr 2022 · 103
More on the QAnon Queen
Bob B Apr 2022
Dangerous you might call her.
Off her rocker as well.
Her strange, obnoxious behavior
Is hard for her to quell.

How she was ever elected
Is anybody's guess,
And yet she's found supporters
To give her the guise of success.

Totally out of place
In Congress, she carries on
As though her sense of decorum
And decency are gone.

She heckles speakers in Congress
And always seems to be lusting
After ill-gotten attention.
Her antics are disgusting.

Her wacky QAnon stories
Are so far off base
That any sensible person
Would find them hard to embrace.

Now she's attacking opponents
In her typical style:
If you oppose her ideas,
You're called "pro-*******."

She lives for lies and drama
And loves to make a scene.
You must know who she is:
Marjorie Taylor Greene.

-by Bob B (4-7-22)
Apr 2022 · 82
Words to Russian Parents
Bob B Apr 2022
Russian parents, do you know
Where your children are today?
Might they be on Ukrainian soil,
Many many miles away?

Might your kids be soldiers on
A Russian military squad,
Set out to **** Ukrainians
And bolster Putin's outrageous façade?

Might they be attacking civilians
And leaving their bodies strewn about,
While causing other atrocities
That we keep seeing day in, day out?

Perhaps they have been caught between
Following orders they know aren't right
Made by a dictatorial leader
Whose human compassion has taken flight

And knowing the truth and wondering
If that's who they were meant to be--
Conscripts used to fight a war
With nightmarish brutality.

When you watch your Putin-controlled
TV news, are you aware
That you are being lied to, and if
You do know that, do you care?

Can you feel the repercussions
Brought about by Putin's war?
Give it some thought. Do you have
Any inkling of what's in store?

If committing atrocities
Is the appropriate thing to do,
And if you're proud of your kids for doing that,
Shame on them and shame on you.

-by Bob B (4-4-22)
Apr 2022 · 77
Amount or Number?
Bob B Apr 2022
It seems that many speakers of English
Appeared to succumb to slumber
When English lessons were taught regarding
The words "amount" and "number."

Large amounts of time. Correct.
Large amounts of rice.
"Amount" refers to something seen
As a mass, to be precise.

But when we refer to things we can count,
"Number" should be used.
For some reason, English speakers
Often get confused.

A large number of people, we say,
Vote in our elections.
Or a number of germs out there
Can cause major infections.

A large amount of people? No!
Do not go there, please.
But it's quite all right to request
A small amount of cheese.

"Beans" is one of those funny words
Often used as a mass:
I ate a large amount of beans,
And boy, do I have gas!

It really shouldn't be too hard
If you know how to count
To know how to distinguish between
"Number" and "amount."

-by Bob B (4-1-22)
Mar 2022 · 89
Poor Henry
Bob B Mar 2022
If Henry Higgins were actually living,
Certainly, he would be unforgiving
When hearing how English is spoken today.
I can imagine what Henry might say:

"English speakers who massacre grammar
Ought to be thrown into the slammer,
And there in the slammer they should remain
Until they treat English with much less disdain.

"Their usage of pronouns is simply atrocious.
One thing that makes me feel ferocious
Is when they use 'him' when they ought to use 'he,'
Or when they misuse both 'I' and 'me.'

"The past tense of verbs is not hard to learn,
And yet it's a practice that some people spurn.
The past tense of 'string'--the verb--is 'strung.'
The past tense of 'sing' is 'sang,' not 'sung.'

"And then there's the overuse of 'like.'
Has formal English gone on strike?
'I was like…,' 'He was like…,' 'She was like..' ****!
That's even hard to diagram!

"And what about the subjunctive mood?
When speakers misuse it, I come unglued.
'If I was you…' grates on my ears.
'If I would have known…' brings me to tears.

"Some people call it language abuse
And throw up their arms and say, 'What's the use?'
Social media makes it worse.
To some it's a blessing; to me it's a curse.

"Unfortunately, rules are broken
Wherever the English language is spoken.
A language will change. Yes, that I know.
Oh, but it's painful to see it change so!"

-by Bob B (3-27-22)
Bob B Mar 2022
Russian soldier, throw down your arms.
Turn around and leave Ukraine.
Are you proud of what you're doing--
Of all the innocent people you've slain?

Have you lost your dignity?
Your actions there will be your disgrace.
If you stand in front of a mirror,
How can you look at yourself in the face?

Doesn't it faze you when you hear
The cries of the people, day and night?
When homes and schools and hospitals
Are bombed, don't you feel contrite?

Have you lost some fellow soldiers
All because of Putin's lies--
Even though he calls his war
A military exercise?

Were your buddies' dying bodies
Left behind on the streets to rot?
Can you fathom the repercussions
Of what's going on, or can you not?

Are you proud of laying waste
To cities and towns in your neighboring land?
Human compassion: Could that be
Something you don't understand?

Stop doing Vladimir Putin's bidding!
Refuse his atrocious orders. Rebel.
Put an end to war crimes there,
And tell the tyrant to go to hell.

-by Bob B (3-24-22)
Mar 2022 · 106
Elmer and Lima
Bob B Mar 2022
Elmer and Lima, two male penguins
At a zoo in Syracuse, New York,
Are both excited after having
Been paid a visit by the stork.

The two had built a nest together.
Obviously, they couldn't lay
An egg, but still, the two birds cherished
Their little home, come what may.

A breeding pair kept breaking their eggs,
Which kept them from hatching their own little chick.
And so zookeepers devised a plan
To solve the problem. They had to be quick.

They gave a phony egg to the pair.
The REAL egg was placed in the nest
That Elmer and Lima had made together.
The two penguin males were put to the test.

The dads have been "exemplary parents,"
Says the zoo director. The two
Do exactly what you'd expect
Successful penguin parents to do.

Yay! Hurray for Elmer and Lima!
Once again their story shows
That non-traditional parents can be
Super-parent dynamos.

-by Bob B (3-15-22)
Mar 2022 · 75
The Dead and Dying
Bob B Mar 2022
As Putin continues his ****** quest
To ravage Ukraine, we watch in shock
As innocent Ukrainian
Civilians are dying around the clock.

We have to constantly ask ourselves,
"Is all of this dying worth it to him?"
If this is part of his ongoing push
To expand his rule, the future looks grim.

Announcing phony accusations
Before the UN is part of his plan
To craftily legitimize
His propaganda as much as he can.

Of course, conspiracy theorists here
Are siding with Putin--our adversary.
Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson
Spouts pro-Putin commentary.

It's almost as though Carlson has
A means of direct communication
With Putin, whereby the two of them
Can further their mutual adulation.

And so they continue to throw spaghetti
Against the wall to see what sticks.
Watch the results as the two of them
Keep throwing lies into the mix.

As both Putin and Carlson peddle
Disinformation, people are dying.
How anyone can justify
Such senseless bloodshed is mystifying.

-by Bob b (3-13-22)
Mar 2022 · 88
Ah, Ukraine!
Bob B Mar 2022
Ah, Ukraine! It pains the heart
To see what you are going through.
How are you ever going to survive
What Vladimir Putin is doing to you?

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (3-11-22)
Mar 2022 · 57
Sacrifice
Bob B Mar 2022
Rising prices might distress us.
It might be harder to make ends meet.
Leaders have to make decisions
For which they're bound to take some heat.
But there are things that come at a price,
And they involve some sacrifice.

We know that wars have consequences
That affect the world at large.
We also know that very little
In this world comes free of charge.
Freedom lovers don't think twice
When it comes to sacrifice.

Tyrants rise and tyrants fall.
While they're in power, they deface
Democracy with dictatorial
Measures that they rush to embrace.
To curb their power, here's some advice:
Get ready for some sacrifice.

If democracy can flourish,
People eager for freedom must strive
To stop the flow of resources
That keep dictatorships alive.
It's not going to be all sugar and spice.
Get used to the concept "sacrifice."

-by Bob B (3-9-22)
Mar 2022 · 38
War and Invasion
Bob B Mar 2022
Russian attacks in Ukraine are taking
Such a humanitarian toll
As Putin tries to pull the Russian
People down his rabbit hole.

A "military operation"
Is what he calls it. The words are his.
It's actually an invasion, a war.
Call it what it REALLY is.

But if you live in Russia and say
The truth, your words will be contested.
Call the move an invasion and you
Will very likely be arrested.

In Ukraine, residential
Sections of cities are under attack.
By bombing civilians, Putin hopes
The country's spirit soon will crack.

Even though Ukrainian
Resistance under attack is stunning,
Civilians know that it's run or die,
And oftentimes they're killed while running.

They say that 1.7 million
Ukrainian refugees have fled.
That seems a better option than staying
And being counted among the dead.

The breadbasket of Europe, Ukraine
Provides many countries with wheat.
Now because of the Russian invasion,
There's going to be less for people to eat.

Unhinged Putin has his plan
And won't let anything get in the way.
But wars have many consequences,
And war criminals should pay.

-by Bob B (3-8-22)
Bob B Mar 2022
Does the world bribe you to betray yourself--
To try to make you fit inside a mold?
Does it try to tempt you with complacency--
To dominate you with its stranglehold?

Do you feel the pressure when it says to you
That what you see is really not the truth?
Has it often emphasized conformity
And stifled your ambitions since your youth?

Does it wear you down with its seductiveness,
Even though you see through all its charms?
Do its threats to curb originality
Manifest themselves as false alarms?

Have you found the courage to resist the ploys
And everything society might do
To make you who you aren't when you'd much prefer
To be and show the world the real you?

-by Bob B (3-2-22)
Bob B Mar 2022
The winds of war keep blowing.
How does one explain
Putin's deadly aggression?
Keep your thoughts on Ukraine.

Hospitals being bombed…
Innocent people slain…
Citizens fleeing the country…
Keep your thoughts on Ukraine.

Cities being surrounded…
People feeling the strain
Of limited supplies…
Keep your thoughts on Ukraine.

All because of a madman
Who wallows in his disdain
For the rights of the people…
Keep your thoughts on Ukraine.

The world watches in horror.
One's sadness is hard to contain.
As Russian troops push onward,
Keep your thoughts on Ukraine.

-by Bob B (3-1-22)
Mar 2022 · 199
The Ballad of an Autocrat
Bob B Mar 2022
This is a tale of a ruler;
Vladimir Putin's his name.
Unlike a man with a conscience,
This one has no sense of shame.

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

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

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

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

And so he came up with excuses
To justify his attack.
How does one deal with a lying
Megalomaniac?

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (2-27-22)
Bob B Feb 2022
At times there are not two sides to a story
When there's a "side" that hoodwinks and distracts
The public with a far-fetched explanation,
While paying no attention to the facts.

A lot of us believe that truthfulness
And honesty should always be our guide--
Good investigative journalists
Check the facts so truths are verified.

We can see the demagogues at work.
Oh, how they twist the truth to meet their needs!
They finely tune their powers of deception
So they can get away with their misdeeds.

It helps when they have power and control--
Particularly when they have the latter--
And when they have supporters who believe
That lying isn't wrong and facts don't matter.

So if you feed me nonsense and proclaim
That honesty is not obligatory,
Then you confirm what I have just expressed:
At times there are not two sides to a story.

-by Bob B (2-26-22)
Feb 2022 · 372
Who Does Putin Think He Is?
Bob B Feb 2022
Who does Putin think he is
To move into Ukraine
In order to carry out his vicious
And murderous campaign?

His love of power has gone to his head;
His greed has hardened his heart.
He has proved that he knows how
To make corruption an art.

Decapitating the government
Of Ukraine: a Putin goal.
Then he can install pro-Russian leaders
And thus maintain control.

Dissenters in Russia who criticize
Putin's bellicose ways,
Can be arrested or worse, for Putin
Demands devotion and praise.

Freedom and democracies
Don't work, according to him.
But can the people vote him out?
Sadly, chances are slim.

He wants to show the world that he has
Control that's ironclad.
He thinks if his neighbors are democratic,
Then THAT makes him look bad.

Well, in truth it does, for he keeps
Russians under his thumb.
If you think things are bad right now,
Then watch what's yet to come.

-by Bob B (2-25-22)
Feb 2022 · 665
Stand with Ukraine!
Bob B Feb 2022
Russian aggressors made their move.
Now they're in Ukraine.
What is Putin trying to prove?
What is there to gain?
The autocrat's messages are cloaked
In lies that Russia was provoked.

Stand with Ukraine as Russian forces
Put Putin's plan into action.
We already know that this of course is
More than a mere infraction.
Playing the role of boogeyman
Is part of Putin's larger plan.

Putin claims his forces are there
To stop denazification.
The argument, which is full of holes,
Is total fabrication.
We already know that he's obsessed
With Ukraine's interest in the West.

We watch as the egomaniac
Causes death and destruction
With this unwarranted attack--
Another Putin production!
Stand with Ukraine in this sad hour
As Putin basks in his ill-gotten power.

-by Bob B (2-24-22)
Feb 2022 · 71
SELF-EXPLORATION
Bob B Feb 2022
How you shine your light on the world,
Your energy and self-expression,
Your sense of purpose, your urge to create,
Your individual, lasting impression,

Your essential values, the way
You try to relate to everyone,
How you cope, and how you see life--
That's all symbolized by your SUN.

The image that you have of yourself,
Your subconscious predispositions,
How you fulfill emotional needs,
How you respond to certain conditions,

Your sense of belonging, how you like
The feelings of being inside your cocoon,
Your longing for security…
That's all symbolized by your MOON.

Communication, your conscious mind,
Your logic, your reason, and how you think,
How you establish connections with others
With whom you want to remain in sync,

The manner in which you express your perceptions,
Your intellectual give and take
Are symbolized by your MERCURY,
Which loves learning for its own sake.

Your need to establish relationships,
Your sharing, your giving and your receiving,
Your values, your tastes, your urge for pleasure,
Your knowledge that harmony's worth achieving,

Your sense of collaboration, your need
For comfort with all that it emphasizes,
Your strong desire to protect those you love--
That's what your VENUS symbolizes.

What about your will-power,
Your strong initiative and drive,
Your self-assertion, your energy,
The power that makes you feel alive,

Your sense of individualism,
Your urge to reach beyond the stars,
Your action, impatience, and petulance, too?
That's all symbolized by your MARS.

When you want to expand your horizons,
When limitations would be a horror,
When you have an urgent need
To improve yourself and be an explorer,

When connecting with something else
That's greater than you can make your day,
When you are hopeful and optimistic,
Your JUPITER is having a say.

Is there a need for social approval,
For discipline and organization?
Are you a little fearful of change
And seek to establish a solid foundation?

Do rules and boundaries give you peace?
Do you find virtue in follow-through?
Can you be a bit rigid at times?
If so, then SATURN is working through you.

Perhaps you're feeling slightly eccentric,
A bit detached, in need of a change.
Maybe you're being a non-conformist,
And others find you a little bit strange.

Are you feeling rebellious and willful
And wanting to break with the status quo?
Are you impulsive, intense, or restless?
Then your URANUS has you in tow.

If you're a dreamer who's somewhat elusive,
Compassionate, and idealistic,
Who wants to be free from your ego-self
And tap into a life that's artistic,

And if you have the urge to assist
Those who suffer from exclusion,
Let your NEPTUNE energy flow.
Just watch out for escapist delusion.

Perhaps you want to penetrate
The psychological depths of being
And also feel a transformation
Of consciousness--a new way of seeing;

Maybe you want to analyze life,
Let go of the old, question taboos,
Explore compulsions, and try to transmute them
Into new form. Then PLUTO's your muse.

By tapping into the energies
That flow through us and make us whole,
We can grow from our self-knowledge
And self-exploration--a wonderful goal.

-by Bob B (2-23-22)
Feb 2022 · 55
Peace in Ukraine?
Bob B Feb 2022
For "peace-keeping reasons," says Putin,
Russian forces surround Ukraine.
To people who are able to see
Through Putin's lies the reasons are plain.

Attacking Ukraine's territorial
Integrity is what he's doing.
And once again the autocrat
Has freedom-loving Ukrainians stewing.

Russian tactics echo what
Happened back in 2014
When Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea,
Creating another ugly scene.

On Fox News, Putin's spokesperson,
Tucker Carlson, is praising the Russians
As he manipulates the political
Landscape in his TV discussions.

When dictators perform a nasty
Feat, Carlson celebrates it.
Critics say he doesn't merely
Report the news, he CREATES it.

It's sad to see Republicans
Praising autocratic regimes.
What a way to undermine
Democracy, or so it seems!

-by Bob B (2-22-22)
Feb 2022 · 96
The Fable of the Snake°
Bob B Feb 2022
A snake was terrorizing a village.
When villagers walked to and fro,
The snake would lie in wait in hopes
Of biting someone and causing great woe.

One day the village sage approached
The snake to give it a talking-to.
"No more biting people!" he said.
"Don't you have better things to do?

"Biting people is wrong, and the practice
Must be halted immediately."
The snake agreed to stop and slithered
Off to the shade of a banyan tree.

Now when people strolled by, it lay
In the shade without even lifting its head.
Villagers who had feared the snake
Now were feeling bold instead.

In fact, the kids in the village would even
Approach the snake and hit it with sticks.
They also gathered heavy objects
To throw, such as rocks and bricks.

One day the sage walked by
And saw that the snake was barely alive.
"I did what you said," it said to the sage.
"But now how will I ever survive?"

The old man dressed the poor snake's wounds,
Sad to see the creature like this.
"I told you not to bite," he said,
"But I DIDN'T tell you NOT to hiss."

-by Bob B (2-17-22)

°An old tale retold here in verse
Feb 2022 · 84
Easily Digestible
Bob B Feb 2022
"Easily digestible."
Think about what those words impart.
That is precisely how a certain
American painter describes his art.

I like that description, though critics will call
His style "unsophisticated."
However, keep in mind that often
Sophistication is overrated.

It's just a way to refer to what
Artists might call a creative style.
Simplicity and directness do not
Make his paintings juvenile.

The painter's description can also apply
To poetry and music and dance.
Sometimes we can overlook
Subtle nuances at first glance.

At times, poems can be perplexing
Vague, ambiguous, and obscure.
That's quite all right, and for many readers
Such poems have a special allure.

Chefs have their styles, too,
The range of which you'll notice is wide.
Sometimes they're in complete agreement,
And sometimes the food artists' tastes will collide.

And even though poetry’s not
Literally comestible,
I prefer poems that are
Easily digestible.

-by Bob B (2-11-22)
Bob B Feb 2022
Have you ever heard of "dyscalculia"?
It's often the culprit in situations
When people have great difficulty
With mathematical calculations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (2-10-22)
Bob B Feb 2022
(This poem is dedicated to all the kids in the world who are deprived of the love they so desperately need.)

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Who deal with unbearable grief--
Whose treatment by their loveless parents
Is cruel beyond belief.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Whose folks don't comprehend
Or care how their heartless behavior hurts
Their children in the end.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Whose lives are bleak and austere--
Who, rather than live with endless pain,
Would rather disappear.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Whose parents have no right
To even claim that role for themselves
When filled with so much spite.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Who struggle and suffer alone--
Who have to endure such misery
Through no fault of their own.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world
Who sadly unlike me
Have parents who didn't provide them with
Love and security.

My heart goes out the kids in the world
When I see what they've missed
By having parents whose hearts are stone,
And, yes, they do exist.

My heart goes out to the kids in the world;
I wonder what it will take
For much more loving kindness to thrive
And fewer hearts to ache.

-by Bob B (2-9-22)
Feb 2022 · 119
Your Element
Bob B Feb 2022
FIRE

What stands out as your element?
Do you shine and inspire?
Do you radiate confidence?
If so, you're probably FIRE.

Then you'll show initiative,
Enthusiasm, and strength.
You'll be fearless, blunt, and outgoing,
Encouraging others at length.

You might be impatient at times,
And maybe you like to lead.
Others might find it difficult
To keep up with your speed.

AIR

Or maybe AIR is more your thing,
In which case you will find
A rational objectivity
Brings order to your mind.

Curious about the world,
You'll crave for understanding.
Being allowed to express yourself
Will never be too demanding.

Relationships are important to you,
And so is sociability.
Loving concepts and principles, you'll
Demonstrate mental agility.

WATER

Perhaps WATER defines you more.
Reflection will be the balm
Protecting you from outer chaos
And giving you inner calm.

You'll tend to trust your intuition,
And empathy will guide you.
Your sensitive nature will like the comfort
That secrecy can provide you.

Being involved emotionally
With others is a must.
Your compassionate heart will give you
Advice on whom to trust.

EARTH

And then there's EARTH. If that's you,
Your patience will be key.
Caution makes you always want
To seek a guarantee.

Extremely practical in nature,
Stable and dependable,
You might sometimes go too far
And then become unbendable.

Attuned to much of the physical world
With heightened physical senses,
Your self-discipline and grit
Have fruitful consequences.

AND SO…

What is your dominant element,
Which you should make your friend--
FIRE, AIR, WATER, OR EARTH--
Or are you a marvelous blend?

-by Bob B (2-3-22)
Feb 2022 · 76
Black History Month 2022
Bob B Feb 2022
On February 1 each year,
Black History Month begins.
Major contributions of Blacks
Are praised, and everybody wins.

But yesterday, we heard the shocking
Reports on the nightly TV news
That fourteen--yes, fourteen!--bomb threats
Occurred at this country's HBCUs.°

Threatening lives and causing disruptions
At Black institutions of learning,
The culprits' hateful acts display
Behavior that is highly concerning.

And at the same time, many states
Are passing laws that sadly embrace
Innocuous and unrealistic
Ways that teachers can talk about race.

If educators are forced to cover
U.S. history insincerely,
Students won't learn the truth of our past,
And Americans will suffer dearly.

So why Black History Month?
What started as an important endeavor
To recognize accomplishments
Is now needed more than ever.

-by Bob B (2-2-22)

°Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Bob B Feb 2022
AGGRESSION

Nations in Europe are on alert,
And once again the U.S. hustles
To deal with Putin's aggressiveness
As he defiantly flexes his muscles.

Amassing troops on Ukraine's border,
The desperate dictator wants to prove
That he's a force to be reckoned with.
The rest of us watch his every move.

And planning military drills
Not far from the Irish coast
Shows the kind of intimidation
That Putin loves to do the most.

But Irish fishermen said no
And stopped the drills before they started.
The Russian navy decided to find
Another location, and so they departed.

PARDON DANGLING

With extremism on the rise,
Trump continues to stir up his base
With his typical Trumpian lies
And his bumbling lack of grace.

Regarding those convicted of storming
The Capitol, this Florida resident
Is currently dangling pardons while he
Isn't even the U.S. president!

He also wants his fans to protest
Vociferously if he is indicted
For having broken the law. We see
That causing chaos makes him excited.

HATRED

Florida had some **** rallies
With swastikas and racist banners.
Needless to say, the participants
Were crude, obnoxious, and lacking in manners.

Observing the Nazis hateful behavior,
Respectable people wonder why
The thugs get pleasure yelling racist
Comments to people passing by.

Regarding states that harbor groups
Of hate, Florida's second in line.
Groups like that are just like a tumor
That's rapidly growing and isn't benign.

SAD

In the state of Washington
There lived a cop named Robert Lamay.
If he had had a little more sense,
He might be alive today.

Rather than get a vaccination
For COVID, he chose to leave the force--
Probably influenced by
The many lies on Fox News, of course.

Lamay came down with COVID and sadly
Lost the battle. He died last week.
Unfortunately, situations
Just like this are not unique.

-by Bob B (2-1-22)
Bob B Jan 2022
(This poem can be sung to the melody of "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along," by Harry Woods)

Oh, as the bug we're dreading keeps
Spread…spread…spreading around…around,
We should keep on trying to
Stop supplying a breeding ground.
Just get…just get…
Just get your shot.
A big…a big…
Big risk it's not.
Here's some…here's some…
Some food for thought:
You'll…be…better protected.

Now it's Omicron;
When will it be gone?
No one knows.
New mutations will
Cause frustrations, and
So it goes.
Let’s do our best to stay
Healthy, and so I say,
Be safe and sound,
As the bug we're dreading keeps
Spread…spread…spreading around.

-by Bob B (1-26-22)
Jan 2022 · 73
Conspiracy Fest
Bob B Jan 2022
The recent anti-vaccine mandate
Rally in Washington, D.C.
Was without a doubt a real
Conspiracy theory potpourri.

Participants' wild speeches and comments
Were off the mark and hard to digest.
People have called the gathering
A regular "conspiracy fest."

Vaccine misinformation was rampant.
First of all, the message gets lost
When life-saving measures are
Insanely compared with the Holocaust.

Blaming the press? Blaming doctors?
Advocating Nuremberg trials?
Evidence of current vaccine
Effectiveness was met with denials.

They don't realize the danger
When vaccine misinformation spreads.
Actually, more people react
Adversely to over-the-counter meds.

Opposing vaccine mandates, however,
Isn't the primary issue at all.
The problem is the dissemination
Of anti-mandate folderol.

It's fair to disagree with mandates
As long as reasons are legit.
But when they're based on baseless lies,
Then the arguments aren't worth spit.

Frankly, the public's safety and health
Are something we shouldn't undermine.
When the next booster comes out,
This guy plans to be first in line.

-by Bob B (1-25-22)
Jan 2022 · 82
Energies
Bob B Jan 2022
Certain energies fill our lives
And work to make us whole.
But they can also work against us
When they're out of control.

Aries energies are dynamic,
Ambitious, though sometimes obsessive.
If they get out of whack, we can be
Impatient and aggressive.

Taurus energies make us feel
Practical, stable, and grounded.
But when they make us stubborn and rigid,
Our problems are then compounded.

Gemini energies have an effect
On self-expression and learning.
But if they make us manipulative,
That can be concerning.

Cancer energies give us a kind,
Nurturing, loving feeling.
But oversensitivity
Can be unappealing.

Leo energies help us shine
And lead, but I must mention
That we can be a bit too much
If we crave too much attention.

Virgo energies lead us to serve
Others and be analytical.
But sometimes they make us too uptight,
Stern and overcritical.

Libra energies lead us toward
Balance and mediation.
But doubt and passive-aggressiveness
Can be a complication.

Scorpio energies grant us with
Emotional depth and power.
But if we become TOO intense,
Interactions will sour.

Sagittarius energies make us
Travel, seek, and explore.
But if those desires are stifled at all,
Life can be a bore.

Capricorn energies drive us to meet
Our goals, which makes us cheerful.
But if we lose self-trust, we can be
Insecure and fearful.

Aquarius energies give us gumption
To fight for many a cause.
But we can be distant and cold if our
Efforts are put on pause.

Pisces energies tend to make us
Sensitive and creative,
Unless we become a victim or martyr,
Which can be suffocative.

"Know thyself," they say. That means
To let your inner strength guide you.
Focus on positive energies that
Swirl around inside you.

-by Bob B (1-22-22)
Jan 2022 · 78
A Sad Legacy
Bob B Jan 2022
The long war in Afghanistan…
Now, when all is said and done,
What started out as a war with a cause,
Turned out being a losing one.

The longest war in U.S. history…
Did we ever have clear goals?
Explanations for why we stayed there
For twenty years are full of holes.

At first, going after al-Qaeda
And Bin Laden was our claim.
Eventually, it turned out that
Nation-building became our aim.

Propping up the Karzai regime…
To some that was a colossal flop.
We organized from top to bottom
Instead of going from bottom to top.

A government, unstable, corrupt,
In a country full of feuding tribes…
Democracy to the Afghans became
A system mainly built on bribes.

We thought we had made headway there,
But then we encountered a stumbling block:
Our focus shifted when we were misled
To get involved in a war in Iraq.

We tried to fight the ***** trade--
Another problem we tried to master.
Unfortunately, it turned out that
Our efforts were a complete disaster.

Others with whom we negotiated,
Sometimes took us for a ride,
Leaving us without an inkling
As to who was on whose side.

Warlords who we know had committed
Atrocities, became our friends.
Scenarios where that plays out
Usually have disastrous ends.

A dark pit of endless money
That led the way to grift and greed…
We were bent on building projects
That the Afghans didn't need.

When we bombed a wedding party
And a hospital, let it be noted
That those in command hid our blunders.
The truth was often sugar-coated.

"We are NOT nation-building,"
And "Victory is in sight," we heard.
One thing we should know by now
Is we can't hang on their every word.

We lament the lives that were lost
And all who were wounded during the war.
We also lament the loss of trust
In our leaders. That will be hard to restore.

-by Bob B (1-21-22)
Jan 2022 · 66
Poetry Trolls
Bob B Jan 2022
Trolls abound on the Internet,
Creeping out of the dark, like moles.
The ones who lurk on poetry sites
Are better known as poetry trolls.

Poetry trolls attack other poets
With their combative analyses.
Their belligerent behavior
Borders on what might be a disease.

They often feel compelled to respond,
As though they have to give their two cents.
The pat they give themselves on the back
Must be a form of recompense.

Offering nonconstructive comments
Is one of their central attributes.
They think they're being insightful, but
Instead, they come off sounding like brutes.

Nasty, vicious, they seem to thrive
On looking for folks to demean or attack.
It's almost as though these people are trying
To compensate for something they lack.

Are their lives so miserable,
Or are they so deeply insecure
That showing restraint in commenting
Is more than these poor souls can endure?

In dealing with these crazy people,
Frankly, you simply cannot go wrong
If you ignore their comments and dump them
Into the trash can where they belong.

-by Bob B (1-19-22)
Jan 2022 · 62
Stand Up for Democracy
Bob B Jan 2022
Stand up for democracy--
For true democracy, I mean,
And NOT for what is being spread
By the far-right propaganda machine.

Stand up for the rights of voters--
For rights that make democracy strong.
Ignore the cries of voter fraud
From folks who try to string you along.

Stand up for integrity
And truth, and do not give the nod
To efforts of many folks on the Right
Who are committing election fraud.

Stand up for the rule of law.
Accountability is key.
No one should be carrying a card
That reads Get Out of Jail Free.

Stand up for a compassionate nation--
One that can learn from past mistakes.
When it approaches danger it knows
How to swerve and apply the brakes.

Stand up for responsible
Behavior. May everybody strive
To work conscientiously
With others to make democracy thrive.

-by Bob B (1-18-22)
Jan 2022 · 68
A Shared Experience
Bob B Jan 2022
I like a tasty gin and tonic,
Margarita, or daiquiri.
Whiskey, bourbon, scotch, or *****
Really don't do much for me.

But wine--ah!--a good glass of wine
Sits at the top of my preference list,
And when I'm in a social mood,
A glass of wine is hard to resist.

The words "social mood" are key,
For when I drink wine, I say with no shame
That if it isn't shared with somebody
Else, it doesn’t taste the same.

Yes, the shared experience
Is what gives wine its special flavor.
Every glass is a new adventure,
And every sip is something to savor.

Whether it's creamy, flamboyant, bold,
Fruity, bright, complex or not,
Fleshy, oaky, toasty, velvety,
Crisp, or buttery, wine hits the spot.

So any time you have a bottle
To share on any day of the week,
Bring it over. I've got the glasses.
Oh-la-la! C'est magnifique!

-by Bob B (1-16-22)
Jan 2022 · 108
Omicron, Please Go Away!
Bob B Jan 2022
(This poem can be sung to the melody of "Little Brown Jug," the old folk song written by Joseph Eastburn Winner.)

We've dealt with COVID for two years
And the news we hear confirms our fears:
Viruses will stick around
If people give them any ground.

(Chorus)
No, no, no, Omicron,
We CANNOT wait till you are gone.
Please don't say that we'll see
Variants range from A to Z.

If vaccinations were embraced
By all, the bug could be erased.
But when our strategy's half-assed,
The virus spreads, and it spreads fast.

The experts say we should beware,
But some folks say that they don't care.
Do more than keep your fingers crossed;
Avoid the germ at any cost.

(Chorus)
No, no, no, Omicron,
We CANNOT wait till you are gone.
Please don't say that we'll see
Variants range from A to Z.

We know that face masks help us, too.
The doctors say that's tried and true.
If you wear yours and I wear mine,
Then both of us will toe the line.

They say that Omicron's less bleak
Than Delta, but when will it peak?
Until it's safe, we would be wise
To watch how much we socialize.

(Chorus)
No, no, no, Omicron,
We CANNOT wait till you are gone.
There's no need for you to stay.
Omicron, please go away!

-by Bob B (1-15-22)
Jan 2022 · 100
In These Crazy Times...
Bob B Jan 2022
ANOTHER INDICTMENT…

Eleven Oath Keepers were
Indicted for the part they played
On January 6 during
The insurrection escapade.

Seen as seditious conspirators,
The coup plotters appeared to be
Eager to use brute force to change
Election results that day in D.C.

During the violent chaos, Trump
Was said to be glued to his TV screen
While call after call came in from people
Asking him to intervene.

Trump's inaction makes him look
Like a co-conspirator who
Condoned the Capitol attack
As a way to carry out his coup.

NICE TRY…

Another conspiracy theory is now
Being spread by our friends on the Right,
Which shows how they love to alter
History through the use of sleight.

They say a man with the last name Epps
Incited the mobs on the sixth. The man
Was a federal agent, they say,
And the brutal attack was an FBI plan.

Nice try, people. Your lies fall flat.
Ray Epps is a Trump supporter--
Not a federal provocateur--
And that makes him an election thwarter.

MASS FORGERY…

Republicans in a number of states
Tried to pull off an election scam.
They forged some docs in efforts to show
That they were the REAL electors. Wham!

They got caught. Let's hope that they
Pay for their crime. But isn't it odd
That they scream, "Fraudulent elections!"
While they're committing election fraud?

-by Bob B (1-14-22)
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