When the anthem begins and the players
Hear the words "Oh, say can you see…"
Some have chosen not to remain
Standing; instead, they've taken a knee.

Taking a knee to protest injustice,
The players have faced their critics who feel
That when the national anthem is played,
People don't have the right to kneel.

But what about a president
Who criticizes our institutions--
Who calls the press the enemy
And scorns their vigorous contributions?

What about a president
Whose racist ties are loud and glaring--
Whose stance on U.S. asylum laws
Is unequivocally cold and uncaring?

What about a president
Who boldly refuses to take a stand
Against the industries that poison
Our water and threaten to ravage our land?

What about a president
Who throws our allies under the bus
And sidles up to Vladimir Putin
After what Putin has done to us?

What about a president--
A blowhard who has dropped the ball
In dealing with corruption, for his
Admin's the most corrupt of all?

What about a president
Who calls unpatriotic those
Who take a stand--or knee--against
Practices that they oppose?

This from a man whose actions border
The actions of someone strangely psychotic!
Trump has no right to call any
Other American unpatriotic.

-by Bob B (7-21-18)

Certain Republican members of Congress
And White House staff have of late
Had a lot of difficulty
Keeping their made-up stories straight.

Senators Graham and Durbin reacted
When Trump referred to "*******" nations
And thus disparaged Salvadorians,
People in African countries and Haitians.

But Senators Perdue and Cotton
At first said they weren't aware
Whether the president said the word
And tried not to get caught in the snare.

A couple days later they said, NO,
He didn't say "*******" at all.
How convenient: this sudden change
Of mind from nothing to sudden recall.

After that they changed their stories.
It wasn't "*******" but instead
The word was "*******." Yes, that was
What President Trump had said.

At first Trump didn't deny it,
But later said his language was "tough."
(But we've heard what comes out of his mouth
Whenever he speaks off the cuff.)

What difference does it make?
The word isn't the main point here.
Attitude, racist feelings,
And lack of respect are very clear.

Once they lie, they have to keep lying--
They have to keep plugging away.
As their stories change, the liars
Look more foolish every day.

-by Bob B (1-17-18)

Some don't want to be awakened
From their peaceful slumber
And choose not to hear the existing truths
That overwhelmingly outnumber
 
The copious, complacent fairy tales
That fill their lives and dreams
And hold them hostage from the facts
Completely, or so it seems.
 
Their sleeping pill is called "Not Caring."
It's cheap and easy to find.
It dulls the senses and provides the user
With a perfidious peace of mind.
 
A stronger pill called "Oblivion"
Is also widely available.
Those who take it think that their lack
Of involvement is unassailable.
 
Stronger yet is a pill called "Forgetfulness."
Many prefer that pill,
Which allows them the blissful ability
To forget anything at will.
 
So cheap they are--these drugs of preference--
That they have found their niche;
And furthermore, they don't discriminate
Between the poor and rich.
 
Instead of listening to the cries of the world--
Of injustice, of inhumanity--
Many prefer to sleep in indifference.
Now that's what I call insanity!

- by Bob B

Loudly the Muses sing out a tale:
The President and the **** Star.
They sing about qualifications and how
Much a leader can lower the bar.

Their voices resound as they tell the story
That happened ten years before he became
The president. Though married he was,
Marriage to him was just a game.

Four months after his fifth child was born,
The man--a celebrity--had his fling.
Did his third wife know? The Muses
Haven't told us everything.

Feeling outrage overload,
The public merely said, "Just one
More story to add to a growing collection.
The man was just having some fun."

If the celebrity had an adventure,
If he had his little affair,
That was his choice--his decision.
Frankly, the Muses really don't care.

When money became involved in the matter,
It gave the story an added dimension.
Hush money paid to the star?
That's what attracted the Muses' attention.

A payment of one hundred thirty thousand
Dollars went to the **** star's account
Before the election to keep her silent,
The importance of which was paramount.

With so many songs to sing, the Muses
Inspire us to listen, to learn,
To grasp the art of living, to seek
The beauty of truth, for which we yearn.

Keep singing, Muses. Follow the money.
Point out hypocrisy, fraud, and deceit.
What more can your songs reveal?
The truth should never become obsolete.

-by Bob B (1-19-18)

"What are you holding, son?
It has a familiar glow."
"It's just a gun--a toy
You gave me years ago."

"What are you doing, son?
Where are your old toy guns?"
"I grew quite bored with them.
I wanted more powerful ones."

"Why are you smiling, son?
Has something caught your eye?"
"I've found more challenging targets:
Those wild birds passing by."

"Where are you going, son?
I hear your laughter no more."
"You shouldn’t have to ask;
I'm off to fight your war."

"Why are you sighing, son?
Why do you feel so bad?"
"I've seen humanity's flaws;
The knowledge makes me sad."

"Where are you lying, son?--
In a place that's safe and concealed?"
"Safe? Bah! I'm lying
In a war-torn, barren field.

"Why are you crying, father?
Couldn't you foresee
That the fate that befell others
Could also happen to me?"

- by Bob B

You cannot always have hits in life;
There have to be some misses.
Sometimes you'll hear words of praise;
Sometimes you'll hear hisses.

Artists don't always aim to produce
Works to please the masses.
Those who try will find themselves
Falling flat on their *****.

The point is this: create…create!
Express what comes from the heart.
Do your best with each endeavor
Though folks might tear it apart.

Enjoy the creative process, for it
Can truly be your friend.
Results are fine, but the process itself
Is more than a means to an end.

Now, IF you have nothing but flops,
That might be a sign
That you should seek a different form
Of expression in order to shine.

Find what works for you and allow
Creative juices to flow.
If people expect you to be who you aren't,
Tell them, “Thank you, but no.”

-by Bob B (7-20-23)

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-9-19)

People say Trump is "reckless," "unhinged,"
"Consumed by his dark moods,"
"Unfit," "unstable" and that he's like
A "tantrum-throwing child" that broods.

He's "unraveling," "losing a step…."
He's "dangerous for the country," too.
"Deteriorating on the job"
Has been said by more than a few.

White House staffers must protect him
From himself. And SO much
Chaos exists, that some say he
Has the "reverse Midas touch."

When he's behind a teleprompter,
The man sounds less obtuse.
But when he speaks off the cuff,
My goodness! all hell breaks loose.

So has the White House now become
An adult day care center? How sad!
Bush 2 is probably thinking,
"And YOU thought that I was bad!"

(10-12-17) By Bob B

A lie has tremendous power
To trick, to dupe, to deceive,
Until people don't know
What they should believe.

Lies dealt profusely
Appear in varied capacities,
And artful dealers can make
Untruths sound like veracities.

Though they're sickeningly sweet,
Unctuous, and runny,
Lies can nonetheless give
The truth a run for its money.

A certain news agency
Dons a clever disguise;
And then as sly as a Fox,
It spreads its vicious lies.

Mendacious information
Insults the people that hear it.
History has shown us
That there's a reason to fear it.

We see all the time
That lies have a snowball effect
And gather more momentum
When they go unchecked.

When leaders resort to lying,
Though their words are disproved,
The people will live in *******
Until that leader's removed.

The truth can sometimes hurt.
Falsehoods, however, annoy,
Bear down on humanity,
Abuse, defile, and destroy.

-by Bob B (12-12-17)

The Dems duked it out last week.
The Democratic debate number three.
At the current time we have
Quite a political potpourri.

Cory Booker had his moments
Of passionate insight, charm, and wit.
Although his polling numbers are down,
Booker showed that he's got grit.

Klobuchar's our Minnesotan.
While sometimes others appear misguided,
She reminds us all what happens
To any house that is divided.

Warren has her plan for this
And her plan for that, which is fine.
Can she keep up the fight and maintain
The strength to toe the party line?

Harris displayed pluck and resolve.
When she speaks, she's on fire.
It's just curious as to why
Her polling numbers are not higher.

One surprise was Beto O'Rourke.
Beto fans have to rejoice:
This prospective candidate
Has all of a sudden found his voice.

Without a doubt, one of the best
Speakers standing there on the stage
Was our veteran Mayor Pete,
Extremely wise for someone his age.

Although Biden is high in the polling,
At times his answers seem disjointed.
I start with high expectations,
But end up feeling disappointed.

Castro went after Joe Biden.
But sadly Castro's condemnation
Appeared to come less from strength
And more out of desperation.

Yang has managed to keep afloat.
But what's this crazy idea he has
About wanting to buy your vote?
A little political razzmatazz?

Bernie, well…Bernie's Bernie.
But why does he have to be so gruff?
After his rants, one wants to say,
"Enough already, Bernie, enough!"

It's early still and hard to know
Who will advance and who will flop.
But I would vote for ANYONE
Over the current man at the top!

-by Bob B (9-15-19)

As word spreads across the country,
The Never Again movement expands;
And while that happens, one thing is clear:
We have a huge fight on our hands.

The NRA, which represents
Gunmakers and NOT gun owners,
Lately has become one of
Our politicians' principal donors.

When Wayne LaPierre° and Marion Hammer°°
Envision more guns on the street or at school,
The two of them--like Pavlov's dogs--
Smack their lips and start to drool.

Working hard in Florida
To avoid commonsense regulations
Of guns, gun lobbyists are
Expanding their base of operations.

Congressman Matt Gaetz,
Also lives among the ones
In some bizarre fantasy world
Where the solution is always more guns.

Pushing the NRA agenda,
They say, "Get rid of gun-free zones."
Their logo ought to be an assault
Weapon over a skull and crossbones.

Although he speaks out of both sides
Of his mouth, the president never balks
When dealing with the organization.
We know how loudly money talks.

Praise to the Never Again movement!
There will be a moment of truth
When more and more voters decide
To battle it out in the voting booth.

Meanwhile, the NRA
Will let its appalling message be spread,
While the weapons industry takes
Potshots at the graves of the dead.

-by Bob B (3-5-18)

°Vice president of the NRA
°°NRA lobbyist

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-6-19)

________
(Original poem: Part I)

BOOTLICKER BARR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (10-25-19)

The crowd cheers, faces light up,
As Trump beams and mentally tallies
The number of fawning participants
Attending the first of his thank-me rallies.

Confusing facts and figures, such as
The number of refugees "pouring in,"
He blasts the "dishonest" media, which
Inadvertently helped him win.

He also promises scores of changes
In jingoistic words and phrases,
Oblivious to the repercussions
And questions that such talk raises.

He claims to be the "messenger."
By voting for him, we all won;
And even without our help, change
Will happen. HE will get it done.

Loving the spotlight, he looks upon
His thank-me rallies with great affection,
Even though normally
Campaign rallies PRECEDE an election.

Meanwhile Trump will tour the states,
Full of himself and hoping that we go
To celebrate his "victory"--
To feed and nurture his giant ego.

- by Bob B (12-2-16)

In 1961 nine students
Crossed over the boundary line
Of segregation. Those students
Are known as the Tougaloo Nine.

The place: Jackson, Mississippi.
March 27, the day.
The long battle for civil rights
Had already been underway.

One student walked to the counter
And very politely asked for a book
That wasn't available elsewhere. Boy!
Did she get a ***** look!

The students were told they didn't belong there.
There would be trouble unless they departed.
They could go to the "colored" branch.
That is when the read-in started.

Arrested and taken to jail, the students
Couldn't call for legal assistance.
They were kept there overnight
And rudely grilled for their passive resistance.

Police were waiting with dogs by their sides
And clubs in their hands on the day of the trial
To roughen up the students' supporters
With some authoritarian bile.

In front of the library now stands
A freedom marker in recognition
Of nine who traveled the freedom trail
And faced bitter opposition.

Obstacles remain in the path.
The struggle is far from over. We must
Honor courageous people before us
And fight for laws that are fair and just.

-by Bob B (8-19-17)

When will the government shutdown end?
Not till Trump comes to his senses.
Meanwhile, Trump's obsessive behavior
Is having disastrous consequences:

Many government workers are on
Furlough; thus, they're not being paid.
Businesses are also affected;
Services are being delayed.

If Mitch McConnell had a backbone--
If the obstructionist had the will--
Immediately, Congress could send
The president a veto-proof bill.

The Dems truly want border security,
But a wall is NOT a part of the deal,
Whether a structure is made of cement,
Or whether it comes from iron or steel.

Many feel that Trump and his team
Have skillfully manufactured a crisis.
They insist that a wall on our SOUTHERN
Border is going to protect us from ISIS.

Trump says that if he wants
To build his wall, he can declare
A national emergency.
That means he'll get the money from where?

From pillaging disaster funds.
Bound and determined to build his wall,
He will go to any lengths
To rob Peter to pay Paul.

If you think he was being sincere
In his Oval Office speech, he wasn't.
Most of us care that people are hurting.
The trouble is that Trump doesn't.

-by Bob B (1-11-19)

Politics! What a crazy beast--
One that fiercely polarizes
Couples, friends, relatives, and nations
And often denigrates compromises.

You might interpret a situation
From a completely opposite perspective
From how I understand it, for our
Listening skills are oddly selective.

To me a right that goes without saying,
Might be a dangerous threat to you.
Likewise, a cause that's close to your heart
Is one I might not take kindly to.

Politics shouldn't be so divisive.
After all, it's plain to see
That everyone would get along
If everybody thought like me.

-by Bob B (6-20-17)

Phone calls and cover-ups…
Word to the wise:
Be on the look-out
For secrets and lies.

Betrayal of values…
Truths bite the dust
When a leader
Is one you can't trust.

Mob boss presidents
Running the show…
O how they love
To use quid pro quo!

Oath of office…
A meaningless pledge
For someone who's gone
Over the edge.

Empty promises,
Blame and threats…
What a monster
Corruption begets!

Snake oil for sale…
Ready to try some?
The president
Wants you to buy some.

A false leader,
Stirring up haters,
Says whistleblowers
Are nothing but traitors.

Democracy,
When under attack,
Suffers unless
The people push back.

Phone calls and cover-ups…
Word to the wise:
Be on the look-out
For secrets and lies.

-by Bob B (9-27-19)

Goliath tormented the Israelites.
Accepting his challenge for most was an error,
For many lost their lives, while the giant
Continued to boast and spread his terror.

Fearing the Champion of the Philistines,
Saul was baffled and at this wits' end.
Knowingly sending men to their death
Was not an easy task to defend.

David, a lad in his teens perhaps--
Confident that he could win--
Offered to take on the giant himself.
Reluctantly, Saul gave in.

"Take my armor and sword," said Saul,
"Which you'll require in order to succeed."
"I have my sling and my rocks," said David.
"My will is the only weapon I need."

The towering giant gazed down on the youth.
"A curse on you!" was all that he said.
David brought him down with some stones
Slung from his sling; then chopped off his head.

For the Philistines, the table had turned,
For now--ha!--it was their turn to fret.
Without their giant, they'd lost their power.
No longer did they serve as a threat.

Goliaths out there, watch out for Davids.
Don't think that you have unlimited power
To spread your threats, your fear, your control.
Our Davids will show you your final hour.

-by Bob B (2-25-18)

"Idealistic" might describe you.
In what you do, you excel.
But if your idealism gets out of hand,
Bid accomplishments farewell.

If you are idle and unproductive,
You might not have any objection
To blaming all your laziness on
Your failure to achieve perfection.

You tend to be shy and not seek glory
And prefer to let others receive attention
While you work in the background, which gives
Your character an added dimension.

Though you respond to the needs of others,
Be aware of the adjuration
To always be on guard, for you
Are vulnerable to exploitation.

You make an excellent critic and want
To improve the world--to help and protect.
But you can also act the martyr
If things don't go the way you expect.

You find communication important
And can be talkative, or chatty.
But don't be overcritical
Or fussy, or you'll start to sound catty.

You're a practical person and you're
Inclined to move with a measured pace.
Not to attempt to perfect whatever
Skills you have would be a disgrace.

Routine is not a problem for you.
If your efforts are justified,
You can endure endless details
And complete your tasks with marvelous pride.

"Health conscious" also describes you.
Though sometimes you can worry a lot,
You're not easily discouraged, and so
Give your priorities all that you've got.

You're always busy and occupied
With projects, but don't go overboard.
For you, things of a practical
And helpful nature strike a chord.

Your analytical skills are amazing.
So is your love for books and learning.
Irresponsibility
And sloppiness can be concerning.

You'd be great in the medical field,
In social work, or in teaching.
Stick with the "real world"
And your efforts will be far-reaching.

-by Bob B

“We LOVE to watch the animals here,
And there is such an amazing variety
That observing them year after year
Keeps us from boredom and satiety.
 
“Look how they dash about their cage—
Holding their babies, giving them food.
They often act as though they’re on stage:
Some are loud; some more subdued.
 
“Some of their colors are flashy and bright—
Incredibly beautiful to the eye.
Some are less interesting—actually quite
Boring compared to the others nearby.
 
“They come in so many different sizes.
Look over there! He’s got a big head.
Watch out! That one is full of surprises.
That big one there is way overfed.
 
“At times they act a lot like us,
Nonchalantly sitting and staring,
Or making a wild and noisy fuss
With voices rising, tempers flaring.
 
“It’s interesting when they make funny faces
And screech, and grunt, and squeal, and ooh.
It’s good that they stay back a few paces;
If they got closer, who knows what they’d do?
 
“Sometimes it’s funny when they act silly,
Which they do quite often enough.
One expects them to be *****-nilly;
That is their style: to act off the cuff.
 
“When the sun sets, we always feel sorrow
As they retire. But what's to prohibit
Them from coming back here tomorrow,”
The chimps say as they gaze from their exhibit.

- by Bob B

Some people are bullies;
They push others around.
On what we would call their true nature
We really don't have to expound.

Growing up we knew bullies.
Remember them way back in school?
Avoid them or you'd pay for it
Was the general rule.

Adults, too, can be bullies.
We have seen them in action.
Intimidating others
Gives them great satisfaction.

Some politicians are bullies;
Their tactics are quite nefarious.
They love to put on an act
And pretend to appear gregarious,

Yet their lack of concern
For the people's well-being shows.
"You mean they couldn't care less?"
You've hit it right on the nose.

Certain groups can be bullies
And resort to torture and killing.
Their lack of human compassion
Strikes us as frightfully chilling.

Some countries are bullies,
Horribly abusing their power
And expecting other nations
To bow down, grovel, or cower.

They want to call all the shots--
Diplomacy's not on the table--
And often take advantage
Of a country that's weak or unstable.

That WE would be stuck with bullies
Was bound to come to pass.
WE humans will always
Find some who are pains in the ***.

- by Bob B

(Sung to the tune of "Home on the Range")

I hope there's a place where the whole human race
Can survive the weather extremes--
Where most of the herds don't ignore experts' words,
And we ALL have clean rivers and streams.

Chorus:
Home here on the earth,
Where we all want to live out our dreams--
Where it would be strange to deny climate change
And life's not as bleak as it seems.

When certain ******* don't restrict greenhouse gases
And they couldn't care less 'bout the earth
And they cause many schisms with trite euphemisms,
They ignore the planet's true worth.

Chorus:
Home here on the earth,
Where we all want to live out our dreams--
Where it would be strange to deny climate change
And life's not as bleak as it seems.

When the USDA says starting today
Saying "carbon" is strictly taboo,
Their major concerns are the greatest returns,
And to hell with what might be true.

Chorus:
Home here on the earth,
Where we all want to live out our dreams--
Where it would be strange to deny climate change
And life's not as bleak as it seems.

When the experts say, "Wow, we are feeling it now,"
And they watch the ice melt at the poles,
You don't have to be a genius to see
The importance of certain controls.

Chorus:
Home here on the earth,
Where we all want to live out our dreams--
Where it would be strange to deny climate change
And life's not as bleak as it seems.

-by Bob B (8-8-17)

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)

How incredible it would be--
How inclusive, how fulfilling,
How thoughtful, how compelling,
How ennobling, how thrilling,

How embracing of people all over,
How respectful, how caring,
How auspicious, how prudent,
How given to kindness and sharing,

How all-encompassing,
How miraculous, how smart,
How encouraging, how beautiful,
How full of compassion and heart,

How wholesome, how magnanimous,
How honorable; how just--
If only our national motto could be
Stated simply, "In LOVE we trust"!

- by Bob B

OFF TO CANCÚN

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (2-19-21)

FLY ME TO CANCÚN

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (2-19-21)

If you don't like what you hear
And it's hard to reconcile
What your critics say about you
With your particular governing style,
Discredit your critics, call them dishonest,
Berate and revile them. It's no crime.
Say their news is fake. (We know
That some cults do it all the time.)

Just call it fake news.
Tell me, what have you got to lose?
Facts and truth are now passé;
Don't ever let them get in your way.

If your critics hit too close to home--
If they're on to your plans and schemes--
Finding a way to bash the media
Might be easier than it seems.
Get the public on your side;
Play the victim; whine and cry.
Yell, "Unfair treatment!" and you'll
Get their sympathy by and by.

Just call it fake news.
Tell me, what have you got to lose?
Facts and truth are now passé;
Don't ever let them get in your way.

If the scientific reports
Don't accord with what you think,
And the experts' findings and your
Jockeyed figures aren't in sync,
Make the public skeptical
Of scientific ideas, and then
You'll be able to sway the people
With your false "facts" again and again.

Make your own fake news.
Tell me, what have you got to lose?
Facts and truth are now passé;
Don't ever let them get in your way.

- by Bob B (5-30-17)

Over 2500 years ago,
In Kapilavatthu, not very far
From the Himalayas, Queen Māyā
Dreamed something that she found bizarre:

Clothed in flowers, she was paid
A visit by an elephant--lily white--
Bearing in its trunk a pure white lotus
That softly glowed in the moonlit night.

After circling her three times,
The elephant, such as she'd never seen,
Tapped her thrice on her right side
And then vanished inside the queen.

She shared her dream with King Śuddhodana,
Who summoned the Brahmins immediately
To hear the details of the queen's strange dream
And explain to him what the meaning might be.

"The queen will have a son," they said,
"And he will become one of two things:
A conqueror or a holy man.
We shall see what the future brings."

When the time of birth drew near,
The queen longed to visit the place
Where she'd grown up. Her caring midwife
Accompanied her just in case.

As they approached Lumbini Grove,
Her entourage smelled the scent
Of gardens of spices and blossoming trees
That formed a protective, natural tent.

The queen entered the grove and there
Between the blossoming sala trees
Gave birth to her son, Prince Siddhārtha,
While blossoms rained down in the gentle breeze.

According to some accounts, on that day
The ground shook and the trees swayed.
Joyous sounds filled the air
As soothing celestial music played.

As sweet tea fell from the clouds above,
The infant took seven steps and proclaimed:
"I alone am the World-Honored One"--
A title that he was later named.

Back to Kapilavatthu they traveled.
A few days later, Queen Māyā died.
Her sister, Pajāpatī, became
The prince's mother and the king's new bride.

Thus goes a wondrous version
Of a narrative that finds great worth
By beautifully combining legends
And written accounts of the Buddha's birth.

Fact and myth are interwoven
In many great figures from our past.
But true meaning transcends the records
And points to deeper truths that last.

-by Bob B (4-5-18)

°On April 8, many Buddhists around the world celebrate the birth of the historic Buddha. This poem was written to honor the occasion.

With help from his lawyers, the man who loves
To have his name displayed on towers
Is now trying to make a case
That basically gives him unlimited powers.

His lawyers say that he should be
Shielded from all investigation
While he serves as president.
What a scary situation!

Even if he attempted to ******
Another person, no one could stop him.
When it comes to immunity,
No one else in the country can top him.

Regarding U.S. federal workers,
Here's what POTUS has even suggested:
In order to keep their jobs, their
Devotion to him ought to be tested!

He encouraged his lackeys in Congress
To storm impeachment proceedings like fools,
Where they interrupted business
And violated ethics rules.

Since he took office, the president
Has constantly chipped away
At many American institutions.
He also loves his pay for play!

In other words, the White House insists--
And this should stick in everyone's craw--
That no matter what he does,
The president's above the law.

Americans should be concerned.
This grasping for power affects us acutely.
As Orwell showed in "Animal Farm,"
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

How many rules will he flout?
When will all the nonsense end?
To what depths of depravity
Can the president descend?

So Kim Jong Un, Putin, and other
Dictators worldwide,
Donald Trump longs to join you.
Will you kindly step aside?

-by Bob B (10-24-19)

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

It seems to me the HelloPoetry
Website is having a glitch.
I used to be able to upload all
Of my poems without a hitch.

Now I get an error message
Every time I try
To upload a poem to the site.
Why? Why? Why?

After a week I learned that each
Poem was saved as a draft.
And all along I'd thought the site
Was giving me the shaft.

I clicked on my "Poems," clicked on "Draft,"
And found the poem to "Edit."
(I know I'm not a rocket scientist,
But give me a little credit.)

I clicked on the audience, then hit "Save,"
And voilà! my poem was posted.
(Was I supposed to share this info?
Maybe I'll now be roasted.)

Anyway, I liked it better
Before this recent flaw.
Having to go through all these steps
Really sticks in my craw.

-by Bob B (12-13-17)

Madness pervades Trumplandia
As Donald Trump basks in delusion.
Lies to cover up other untruths
Are being told in mass profusion.

Cover-ups require deceit.
We can observe how they smother
The truth, for daily we are seeing
One cover-up after another.

When Trump is wrong, heaven forbid
That he admit his gaffe or mistake!
His violent storm of lies will leave
Mass confusion in its wake.

To rally support, he needs his team
Of sycophants to back his tales,
Which looks even more absurd.
The man has clearly gone off the rails.

Then he calls his henchmen forth
To use all their ammunition
To pressure officials in agencies
To lie for Trump or lose their position.

All the corruption, all the abuse
Of power is madness in every sense.
The president is living out
His fantasies at OUR expense.

Investigative journalists
Seeking the truth, in Trump's eyes,
Are the enemy of us the people
When they point out all his lies.

The TRUTH will be HIS nemesis
Instead of being OUR enemy,
For when more people's eyes are opened,
The truth is what will set us free.

-Bob B (9-10-19)

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)

Can you keep a secret?
Or do you also find
That maybe Franklin had it right?
If so, then never mind.
 
Can you keep on smiling
When you’re feeling pain?
Do you fall apart when things
Go against the grain?
 
Can you say, “I’m sorry”?
Has it happened yet
That you’ve said—and please be honest—
Things that you regret?
 
Can you show your thanks
And resist the inclination
To take so much for granted and not
Feel appreciation?
 
Can you look within
And watch your busy thoughts,
Letting the calm embrace you while
You connect the dots?
 
Can you walk for miles
In someone else’s shoes?
If you’ve done it, was it truly
Felt or just a ruse?
 
Can you grasp the wisdom
That the messages impart—
Stirrings of the true self’s longings
Buried in your heart?

- by Bob B

Start a humanitarian crisis.
Separate families at the border.
Remind people that immigrants
Are very low in the pecking order.

Continue with a counter program.
Keep repeating hundreds of times
How immigrants are dangerous
And also the cause of so many crimes.

Then reverse the order that
Separates the families so
You can pretend you care immensely
(Even though it's just a show).

Blame the Democrats all along
For causing all the injustice and pain.
Say they all want open borders--
That they are the ones who are inhumane.

After bombarding the people with
False "facts" on immigration,
Their tolerance for cruelty
Will grow. The power of demonization!

The frequent use of negative words
Will help to galvanize your base.
Make them insensitive
To basic rights; then play your ace.

Send to the border the First Lady.
Give her a tasteless jacket to wear
So she can add more controversy
And callousness to the whole affair.

Have your conspiracy theory friends
And harpy friend appear on the news
To brainwash viewers so more and more
People will start to share your views.

Encourage your sycophants in Congress
To parrot your buzzwords hour after hour,
And you'll be well along the way
To having what you want: POWER.

-by Bob B (6-24-18)

While on my walk I spied a flower
With huge petals, ruffled, yet tender:
A dazzling yellow-gold hibiscus,
Glowing with majestic splendor.

I couldn't help but stop and stare
At its striking beauty and gentle grace.
Not to acknowledge such elegance
Would definitely be a disgrace.

As I gazed upon the bloom,
I heard a quiet voice that said,
"They say it isn't nice to stare,
But go ahead…go ahead.

"Most people walk right by.
They see the flowers on the plant,
But their true ability
To grasp what they see is scant.

"Can you see me for who I am--
My individuality?
Or do all blooms appear as an
Anonymous totality?

"Yes, it's true that all of the flowers
Create a lovely impression together.
Think of gardens teeming with roses,
Fields of daisies, or hills of heather.

"But can you see my unique nature--
The deep essence of my being?
Am I more than merely one
Of many? Tell me what you're seeing."

Speechless, as though in a trance,
I stared awhile, then walked away,
Pondering every meaningful word
The beautiful flower had to say.

-by Bob B (9-1-17)

Never again! Chant with us:
Never again! No more!
Let your urgent demands echo
From north to south, from shore to shore.

Never again must we suffer
From ****** massacres at our schools.
Whoever thinks that thoughts and prayers
Suffice only takes us for fools.

We are tired of candlelight vigils
Held at our schools to honor the dead.
We refuse to tolerate
Living in fear of another code red.

When we're offered a bill of goods
That shootings come with the territory--
That stricter laws have no effect--
We are out to change that story.

We refuse to accept a world
Where shootings have become the norm.
We will support lawmakers who
Advocate gun-law reform.

Doing nothing leads to nothing.
Despite our loss, hope survives.
Put an end to living in fear.
Join us as we march for our lives!

Another school massacre here
Must NOT be a question of when.
The only response that we accept
Is Never again! Never again!

-by Bob B (2-22-18)

"Vengeance is mine!" says Donald Trump.
When he strikes out, he thinks for sure he
Will make his critics cringe and cower,
For they'll be met with "fire and fury."

He expects apologies
From all who tried to "bring him down."
"No Obstruction" he says in a tweet--
Capitalizing a common noun.

"I have been exonerated!"
He says to the world, although it's not true.
But when has truth ever been
Essential from Trump's point of view?

Poor Trumpy just doesn't see
That when you lie, you raise suspicions.
Concerned people have looked for answers
Despite the president's admonitions.

When one lie after another is told,
People don't know what to believe.
It seems the Trumpian motto is
"To get ahead, lie and deceive."

If he were the only one lying then we
Could say, "Well, that's par for the course."
But when surrogates back up his stories,
Deception's become a tour de force.

Were there any apologies
For TEN Benghazi investigations,
None of which proved that there
Were any criminal violations?

If we weren’t constantly barraged
With lies and cover-ups, we could
Move ahead and find some ways
To benefit the common good.

Now watch how Trump behaves at rallies.
He'll find ways to weaponize
The Mueller Report. Ready, set,
Go! Ah, here come more lies!

-by Bob B (3-26-19)

Wise adults know the value
Of leaving foolish thoughts unexpressed.
Somehow that message has been lost
On rap singer Kanye West.

When mentioning the many years
Of suffering when the enslaved had to toil
And live in fear of whippings and lynchings
And **** here on American soil,

West has now made slavery
A topic to which he's given voice:
That it lasted for so many years
Means that it must have been a choice!

West claims that he's a freethinker.
Critics, of course, will disagree.
Anyone who knows the past
Would substitute "non" for "free."

If that's his desire for recognition,
He's found an odd way to gratify it.
What a way to promote an album!
Who the hell would want to buy it?

The singer, desperate for attention,
Is just like somebody else we know.
Money, fame, and power can turn you
Into a real so-and-so.

-by Bob B (5-7-18)

Have you ever heard of the clipper LOCH ARD?
Its story reminds us to be on our guard.
In 1878--oh, such grief!--
She shipwreck occurred when the ship hit a reef.

It happened just off the Australian coast--
Where shipwrecks caused many to give up the ghost--
Because of some miscalculations and fog
And not 'cause the captain was drinking his grog.

The crew had tried hard but could not get a grip
On any way that they could save the great ship.
Only two people--does this strike a chord?--
Survived of the 54 people on board.

A lucky crew member--Tom Pearce was his name--
Made sure survival became his chief aim.
A small upturned boat was for him within reach.
He hung on till he found himself on the beach.

Eva Carmichael was lucky as well.
She hung on to objects afloat in that hell.
When the young woman was pulled from the tide,
She learned that her folks and her siblings had died.

Tom had helped rescue her; he'd heard her cries.
He saw that she struggled and feared her demise.
The two nineteen-year-olds were both tired and sore.
They drank from some bottles that drifted ashore.

Tom searched for other survivors in vain.
He hoped that he had enough strength to sustain
His efforts to scale the sheer cliffs, which he did.
It could have been deadly in case he had slid.

After their rescue and it became known
How the survivors' two lives had been thrown
Together in such a way, people thought they--
Eva and Tom--would get married one day.

Could THIS be a love story starting to bud,
Or would their relationship end with a thud?
They shared a link that was special, of course;
But love is not something that people can force.

Both of them married but not with each other.
In Ireland years later she married another.
Tom and his wife had two sons who would be
On ships--sad but true--when they both died at sea.

As lovely as bodies of water appear,
Oceans and seas can be something to fear.
Eva and Tom were both lucky and brave.
The ocean came close to becoming their grave.

-by Bob B (5-14-24)

Why do you walk so softly?
Why are you afraid?
Why do you speak in a whisper?
Why do you stay in the shade?

Why do you hide your feelings?
Why do you stand alone?
Why do you sing only solo?
Why do you fear the unknown?
 
Why are you defensive?
Why do you cover your ears?
Why do you close your mind?
Why do you stifle your tears?
 
Walk with honor and dignity.
Limit your fears to none.
Speak out loudly and clearly.
Enjoy the warmth of the sun.
 
Don’t be afraid to feel.
Stand with others in force.
Harmonize with others.
Let hope guide your course.
 
Be open and confident.
Hear the world’s cries.
See from different perspectives.
Blocking your tears is unwise.
 
COURAGE, my fellow seeker.
Be GENEROUS, but above all,
TRUST in your inner guidance.
TOGETHER we’ll stand tall.

- by Bob B

Secretary of State Tillerson's
Spokesman, Steve Goldstein was canned
For having told the truth. It seems
That truth in the White House is NOT in demand.

When Tillerson learned that he had been
Removed from office through a tweet,
Goldstein merely reported the news.
Trump found that indiscreet.

Andrew McCabe, Deputy
Director of the FBI,
Was also fired by Trump (through Sessions)
As circumstances intensify.

Trump has nurtured an ongoing effort
To unashamedly cast doubt
On FBI personnel
To one by one **** them out.

You can perform exemplary service--
Working your tail off year after year--
Investigate alleged wrongdoings,
And then find yourself out on your ear.

The president and some of his cronies
Have spoken before of an FBI purge.
When purges occur, we can watch
As autocrats' true intentions emerge.

In the case of McCabe we have seen
******* up charges become the excuse.
That after McCabe for months
Put up with Trump's verbal abuse.

A mean desire to humiliate?
A thirst for vengeance? Need we mention
That Andrew McCabe was fired two days
Before he would receive his full pension?

If Congress refuses to act, the only
Solution will come from the voting booth,
Where voters reject someone who'd fire
Officials for seeking or telling the truth.

-by Bob B (3-17-18)

Eight shots hit Stephon Clark.
Once again the news hits hard.
Eight shots out of twenty or so
Brought him down in his grandma's backyard.

Helicopters circled above.
Police officers on the ground,
Suspecting Clark of a crime yelled out,
"Gun! Gun!" before he was downed.

Clark was holding NOT a gun
But a mobile phone. Officers said
The suspect charged at them before
They hastily shot the unarmed man dead.

But something is fishy: Six shots hit
The man in the back. By and large,
People do NOT normally
Rush backwards when they charge.

In retrospect, as we piece together
The flash of events that transpired,
We learned that after Clark had fallen,
Even more shots were fired.

Stephon Clark is another name
To add to an ever-growing list
Of unarmed black men killed by police
Whose actions cannot be dismissed.

Appropriate use of force is key;
But one thing is undeniable:
We simply can't allow ourselves
To justify the unjustifiable.

-by Bob B (3-31-18)

Ignore for a moment talk of obstruction
Of justice, conspiracy, or collusion,
And focus on one inexplicable
Fact from which to draw a conclusion.

Despite the proof that Russians meddled
To a great extent in our last election--
Despite the indictment of thirteen Russian
Nationals--Trump's undying affection

For Putin and Russia never wanes.
Knowledge of troll factories and bots,
Hacking into voting machines,
And voter disruption and other plots,

Keeps expanding day by day.
And yet there's NO condemnation
Or mention of punishment as a response
To widespread election manipulation.

Is Trump so compromised by the Russians--
A critic asks--is HE one who'll
Easily fall for blackmail, or is
The man merely a "towering fool"?

Trump can criticize everyone else
In senseless, ungrammatical tweets--
Immigrants, athletes, women, the justice
Department, critics, and DC elites--

And yet Russia is fully off-limits.
Apparently, Putin can do no wrong,
Despite the fact that evidence
Of ongoing election meddling is strong.

It's serious when our elected officials
Cater to our adversary
And the biggest threat to democracy
Sits in the Oval Office. Scary!

-by Bob B (2-20-18)

Face it: we often think out loud.
But it's not very statesmanlike
When you are a president
To do it when speaking into a mic.

The president's words have repercussions
At home and around the world as well.
Does Trump always mean what he says?
It's sometimes difficult to tell.

To say that Iraq has no sovereignty,
That we should have taken the oil and split,
Is totally irresponsible.
The president seems to care not a whit.

Imagine how the Iraqis feel.
It only confirms what many perceive
To be the reason for our presence
Over there: to gut them and leave.

Imagine the potential harm
Such words can do to Americans there.
Trump, what is going on
Underneath all that hair?

- by Bob B (1-27-17)

The Vietnam vet stares at the wide
Forty-two-inch TV screen.
Every so often he steals a glance
At an article in an old magazine.

He rolls his chair across the room
To look out the window. The sun is shining.
He hears a voice on the TV say,
"Every cloud has a silver lining."

Shaking his head, he wheels himself
Back across the room to see
What is going on in the world.
Elections? Storms? A shooting spree?

Memorial Day parades are occurring;
On gravestones wreaths are being laid.
On one channel hundreds of photos
Of fallen soldiers are being displayed.

Then he hears a news report:
More U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
He sits in quiet disbelief,
Listening to the news anchorman.

Looking down at his lifeless legs,
Again he can only shake his head.
His heart sinks, so he changes the channel
To watch another program instead.

The words, however, continue to haunt him
And echo through his war-weary brain:
"More troops…more troops…"
To Afghanistan? This is insane!

"How can so many commentators
Look and sound so unconcerned?"
He asks himself, over and over.
"In all these years, what have we learned?"

Depressed, he turns the TV off
And sits alone, lost in his thoughts,
His heart racing, his hands trembling,
His eyes tearing, his stomach in knots.

Only those in the battle zones
See what they'd never seen before--
Things that will surely haunt them forever--
The unspeakable horrors of war.

- by Bob B (5-26-17)

Mr. Trump, for many years
We've watched you disregard the rules.
But tell us: what do you take us for--
A groveling, ignorant bunch of fools?

Making an early campaign announcement
For you, of course, is apropos,
And surely it is a way for you
To rake in tons and tons of dough.

You love the spotlight. Yes, you do.
But, frankly, that should give you pause,
For don't you realize that what
The spotlight does is point out your flaws?

Because of your lies, the nonsense you spout,
And your general lack of humility,
People see you less as a help
And more as a threat or liability.

We know that you have always carried
A hey!-it's-all-about-ME card,
But running for president doesn't give you
A get-out-of-jail-FREE card.

Investigations will still go on
Despite your bold but feeble attempt
To skirt the laws from which no one--
Not even YOU--should be exempt.

You and your cohorts, such as Bannon,
Will take your donors for a ride.
All we can say is, "Nice try, Trump.
Good luck finding a place to hide."

-by Bob B (11-16-22)

(This can be sung to the tune of the old ballad "Sweet Betsy from Pike.")

Every day it seems there's a new story to tell.
Trump and his cronies aren't doing very well.
They've lied to cover up what we all know
Is truly an instance of Trump's quid pro quo.

At first they said, "Oh, no, that's what it can't be.
If you look closely, then you all will see
That what Trump had said in his telephone chat
Was certainly not quid pro quo, *** for tat."

Sing too-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-ay!

The info we gather from witnesses lends
Credence to how Giuliani and friends
Went to Ukraine to push forth their plan.
Rudy's Trump's fixer--his new handyman.

If asked to conspire and if you resist
Helping the president, you'll be dismissed.
The stories we're hearing now help to explain
All that occurred overseas in Ukraine.

Sing too-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-ay!

Republican stories then started to change.
Of course, we are used to that; that's not so strange.
First, they cried, "False accusation! A slur!"
Now they're saying, yes, quid pro quo did occur.

But that's not a problem, Republicans say.
Whatever Trump did, well, that is okay.
Everyone's making a hullabaloo
Over something that clearly all presidents do.

Sing too-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-ay!

Yes, presidents bargain and presidents deal,
And when it occurs it's for our commonweal.
But when his political gain is the goal,
Abusing his power is out of control.

Their strategy now is for them to attack
Witnesses fiercely and not to hold back.
Let us all hope that one day they'll eat crow
For trying to justify Trump's quid pro quo.

Sing too-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-oo-ra-lie-ay!

-by Bob B (11-6-19)

A university professor
Wanted to learn more about Zen,
A subject that he had never paid
Much attention to till then.

Of course, he had read many books
Explaining the various Buddhist sects
And figured that his overall knowledge
Would help him with Zen in many respects.

Meeting with the Zen master
Of a local Buddhist temple, he
Watched without speaking as
The master poured him a cup of tea.

The knowledge-hungry professor sat
Quietly, mentally exploring
The meeting room, while the sage
Sat before him, pouring and pouring.

Soon the cup was overflowing.
"Sensei,°° when are you going to quit
Pouring tea into the cup?
It's full; no more tea will fit,"

Said the professor. The master looked
At the young professor and calmly said,
"Like this cup, you are full
Of preconceptions in your head.

"You have read and studied a lot;
On many subjects, you're well versed.
But how can I show you Zen
Unless you empty YOUR cup first?"

-by Bob B (9-11-19)

°An old Zen anecdote retold here in verse
°°teacher

The White House sent senior adviser
Stephen Miller to CNN
To blast the recent publication
FIRE AND FURY. Once again,

Jake Tapper must know when they
Invite White House racist slime
To CNN for interviews,
They're wasting both his and our time.

Miller merely had talking points
And wasn't there to be interviewed.
Seeing that it was going nowhere,
Jake Tapper became unglued

And stopped the interview altogether.
Trump tweeted that Miller destroyed
Tapper, but what else would we expect
From Trump, a man who lives in a void.

It's funny: it's not at all surprising
How Trump and his team, by hook or by crook,
Resort to using antics that
Confirm everything in the book.

They and Republican members of Congress
Haven't just been caught unawares.
All of them have drunk the Kool-Aid.
What a sorry state of affairs!

-by Bob B (1-8-18)

Holding his adversary
Carefully within his scope
To soldier A is a challenge--
A distant, forlorn hope.
 
An occasional glimpse of a helmet…
An aim as yet unfulfilled…
He knows that he has no choice:
It's ****, or he will be killed.
 
Good timing is essential.
All he can do is lie low…
And wait. But there is something
That he doesn't know:
 
His enemy across the field--
Let's call him soldier B--
Is, like himself, a father--
And also a father of three.
 
He lives for his children,
Who are the light of his life;
And he hates not being at home
To support his struggling wife.
 
His two older brothers
Died in a previous war.
His mother died of grief.
How can he settle the score?
 
For now he can only take aim
At his enemy--at soldier A.
"Focus!" he tells himself. "Focus!"
As his mind starts drifting away.
 
Though soldier A is his target,
B is unaware, too,
Of soldier A's situation--
Of all that he is going through:
 
Soldier A's three children
Count the days till their dad
Will come home to take them to ball games--
To return to the life they once had.
 
The youngest child needs treatment
For a rare, childhood disease.
The middle child is being bullied
And requires his dad's expertise.
 
His wife--on the verge of a breakdown--
Finds it hard to suppress
The constant fears within her
That add to life's daily stress.
 
     *     *     *     *     *
 
So soldier A and B
Await the instant to shoot--
To end the life of the other.
For that they deserve a salute?
 
If the two soldiers could only
Lay down their weapons and race
Across the shell-pitted field
And into each other's embrace,
 
Wouldn't that be amazing?
Much needless suffering would end.
And they could consider everyone
A brother or sister or friend.
 
Ah, but that's just a fantasy--
An illusion, a fancy, a dream,
An unreal expectation
With no place in mankind's scheme.
 
For as long as we're driven by ego,
And ignorance and vengeance and fear,
We're caught in a vicious circle,
And wars will not disappear.

- by Bob B