A massive field of energy
With quantum fluctuations:
That is how it all began,
From all indications.

And then the Big Bang came about,
Giving birth to us,
And energy became transformed
Into matter. Thus,

We are beings who go way back
Into a distant past.
Over 13 billion years--
Before the die was cast.

Within that scheme, planet Earth
Is relatively young,
And many of the scientists'
Songs remain unsung.

No one knows for certain why
It all was orchestrated.
We ALL seem quite unique, and yet
We're ALL somewhat related.

Billions of years, collapsing stars:
So difficult to grasp.
The vastness of the universe
Makes us stop and gasp.

-by Bob B (11-20-22)

(The poem can be sung to the tune of "Little Brown Jug.")

"Sessions was what you would call
Someone who's not on the ball.
First of all, that little elf
Should not have recused himself.

"Now William Barr--well, he's my man.
From the start he was my fan.
He'd have all the tools--yup!--
To cover up a cover-up.

(Chorus)
"Ha, ha, ha, and he, he, he…
I have found a devotee.
William Barr as my AG
Will certainly look out for me.

"Obstructing justice is I know
For me the only way to go.
Somehow if you play with it,
You can get away with it.

"Stack the cards and you will manage
To give yourself a great advantage.
Barr sent signs that he would thwart
The full release of the Mueller Report.

(Chorus)
"Ha, ha, ha, and he, he, he…
I have found a devotee.
William Barr as my AG
Will certainly look out for me.

"He to such a great extent
Knew how to misrepresent
Mueller's findings. Barr was smarter,
For he could help me be a martyr.

"Confuse the public! Misconstrue
Facts so they don't know what's true.
That is how I made my mark.
My bite is much worse than my bark.

(Chorus)
"Ha, ha, ha, and he, he, he…
I have found a devotee.
William Barr as my AG
Will certainly look out for me.

"With Barr at the DOJ,
I can make a power play.
I'll have my lawyers sue sue sue.
I'll defy subpoenas, too.

"I will stonewall--yes, I will--
To frustrate all on Capitol Hill.
Supporters will stand by my side,
Ignoring all I have to hide.

(Chorus)
"Ha, ha, ha, and he, he, he…
I have found a devotee.
William Barr as my AG
Will certainly look out for me."

-by Bob B (5-1-19)

Mind power! That's what she says:
Mind power. Understand?
That's what made Hurricane
Dorian turn away from the land,

According to Marianne Williamson,
Candidate for the presidency,
Which makes one wonder whether she's gone
Bonkers with a capital "B."

After the hurricane devastated
The Bahamas with a deadly force,
Williamson claims that mind power
Was able to change the huge storm's course.

Mind power kept the storm
From hammering Florida's coast.
That is why the winds and rain
Inflicted minor damage at most.

But if the mind's that powerful,
What happened to mind power when
The storm headed toward the Bahamas?
It didn’t seem to help much then.

How often has the mind altered
Storms? Hmmm. Check the stats.
I guess this shows that there are wackos
Even among the Democrats!

-by Bob B (9-4-19)

For nearly twenty years we've fought
A war against the Taliban,
As U.S. and allied forces have
Chased a mirage in Afghanistan.

A war that spanned four presidents
And bad policy decisions
Will soon be coming to a close,
Despite the Afghans' ongoing divisions.

To many Afghan girls and women,
Our presence there has been a relief.
Having endured years of oppression,
They had had their share of grief.

Once we leave, Taliban forces
Most likely will achieve their goal
As city after city falls
And they are able to regain control.

If only we could have said to the people,
"If you want to get out, leave now.
We will find a safe place for you
Elsewhere in the world somehow."

But, alas, that didn't happen.
The idea didn't resonate
With other countries in the world.
And so the Afghans are left to their fate.

I'm afraid to imagine what
Will happen to the women then,
As the extremist leaders cut off
Their path to education again.

And woe to all the translators
Who helped the Western forces there.
If we can't help them flee the country,
Their safety will be up in the air.

Western leaders who tried to contain
The region's volatility,
Have--with our four presidents--
A shared responsibility.

I pity the poor people who must
Be ruled by the Taliban,
But we cannot continue to fight
An endless war in Afghanistan.

-by Bob B (8-6-21)

(This poem could be sung to the melody of "Frosty the Snowman" by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson.)

Donald the showman
Is a miracle they say,
For it always seems that despite his schemes,
He always gets away.

Donald the showman
Is a grifter and a con.
Though a real nutcase, if you ask his base,
He's their "father"; he's their don.

His recent big announcement was
New digital trading cards.
Supporters bought them up and then
They all sent him their regards.

Yes, Donald the showman
Has been conning all his life.
People shout out "Wow!" and they wonder how
He could ever keep a wife.

Donald the showman
Wants to win a second term,
But as walls close in and as ice grows thin,
You can watch the con man squirm.

His picture's on his trading cards;
His ego knows no bounds.
The more he speaks, the more he rants,
The crazier he sounds.

Donald the showman
Will invite you to his pad
If you make the news with extremist views.
That will surely make him glad.

Donald the showman
Looks for folks to string along.
He thinks he'll stay free with impunity,
But let's hope that he is wrong.

Trumpity-Trump-Trump,
Trumpity-Trump-Trump…
Will he ever see…
Trumpity-Trump-Trump,
Trumpity-Trump-Trump…
Accountability?
­
-by Bob B (12-18-22)

Down on our southern border a family
Has found itself in a scary position.
Three kids have a decision to make--
The youngest with a heart condition:

Will they stay here with their mom
While she pleads their asylum case
Or leave the country with Dad? What
A horrible choice for a kid to face!

The youngest--Sofi--just three-years old--
Clutched onto her mother but had
A crying fit when the agents
Separated them from their dad.

Forced to leave Honduras because
Of death threats, the family came
Here seeking asylum and got
Caught up in a political game.

Apparently, certain border agents
And heartless lawmakers entertain
The notion that it's quite all right
To be cruel and inhumane.

Family separation continues.
Wouldn't it be hard to rejoice
If YOU came here seeking refuge
And had to make Sofi's choice?

-by Bob B (7-18-19)

(This poem can be sung to the melody of "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring" from THE MIKADO by Gilbert and Sullivan.)

Indictments, arraignments, and all--
Tra la--
Will make Trump accountable now.
And of course we know HE has the gall--
Tra la--
To make someone else take the fall--
Tra la--
Who knows what he will avow?
Who knows what he will avow?
It seems that whatever he does casts a pall
On all of us, and we hate being in his thrall.
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la…
We hate to be in the man's thrall.

Tra la la la la…
Tra la la la la…
Tra la la la la la la.

Indictments, arraignments, and all--
Tra la--
Are giving us reason to hope.
What Trump does with docs in his haul--
Tra la--
Is actually not his call--
Tra la--
And we're ALL at the end of our rope.
Yes, we're ALL at the end of our rope.
Since Trump and his legal team know how to stall,
To get him convicted, the order is tall.
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la…
The task is not going to be small.

Tra la la la la…
Tra la la la la…
Tra la la la la la la.

-by Bob B (6-14-23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPmBrgWpRLc&t=10s

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)

Oh, my goodness! Once again
The quacks out there are on a roll,
And they have found their gullible fans
To follow them down the rabbit hole.

Now they're pushing ivermectin--
Which is a horse deworming med.
They'll come up with any nonsense
And then sit back and watch it spread.

Instead of getting vaccinated,
Some people would rather take
A drug that could be dangerous
And possibly put their lives at stake.

There's no proof whatsoever
The ivermectin works to fight
COVID-19 in human beings.
To push the drug is just not right!

In fact, there should be consequences
For doctors who push snake oil solutions
For COVID treatments. How many lives
Will suffer from their contributions?

People need to obtain the facts
In order to gain true self-reliance.
But some insist on saying, "Give me
Ivermectin! To hell with science!"

-by Bob B (9-1-21)

Maisha Oni Muhammad-Brinkley
In Dallas, Texas, worked her magic
As a respiratory therapist
Until, sadly, her life turned tragic.

Also known as the Breathing Lady,
Maisha became her patients' friend.
Her sweet smile and compassionate heart
Accompanied her until the end.

Last September, Maisha grew sick,
Having contracted COVID-19
Just a few months before
She'd have access to a vaccine.

The forty-three-year-old mother of four
Needed to be hospitalized
And placed on a ventilator.
The seriousness couldn't be minimized.

Commitment to excellence had always been
Her motivation. Now she depended
On help from others to fight the virus,
Since her life had been upended.

November 18 arrived--the day
The loving wife and mother died.
Her husband of twenty-four years was able
To be there sitting by her side.

So when you're feeling tired of the virus
And let down your guard, you will find
That YOUR life AND the lives of OTHERS
Could be at risk. Bear that in mind.

-by Bob B (1-29-21)

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-28-18)

For over a year it's been said
That our Commander in Chief
Wants to pull the U.S.
Out of NATO! Good grief!

His grasp of history is so
Absent that it's no wonder
Why he keeps committing
Blunder after blunder.

The greatest alliance for peace
The world has ever known--
One that's prevented Europe
From being a combat zone--

Has been a solid presence
Since after World War II.
Our pulling out
Would be a big to-do.

One thing we know:
Putin would be delighted.
Such a foolish action
Would be extremely shortsighted.

In fact, it would cause
A huge power shift
And for Vladimir Putin
Would be the greatest gift.

For reasons yet to be
Discovered, Donald Trump
Does Putin's bidding
And kisses Putin's ****.

We wonder what the president
Owes his Russian friend.
Will his actions come back
To bite him in the end?

Being a target for blackmail
Can't be very fun.
It puts us all in danger
When all is said and done.

If Trump keeps insisting
On pulling out of NATO,
Someone needs to throw
The proverbial tomato.

-by Bob B (1-16-19)

(The poem can be sung to the tune of the hymn "He Walks with Me," as sung by Merle Haggard.)

We hear when Trump speaks on the news;
We're amazed at what he is saying.
But no fans believe how he can deceive
Those on whom he is preying.

And he lies to us and he cries to us,
"I am the greatest on earth!"
He is such a disgrace! How can his base
Ignore his full lack of worth?

He talks about helping us all.
That's not true; he's only pretending.
He would rather prop up those at the top.
His tales are never-ending.

And he lies to us and he cries to us,
"I am the greatest on earth!"
He is such a disgrace! How can his base
Ignore his full lack of worth?

Feel sorry for people who don't
See beyond the man's shifty notions.
Wait until they've learned how they have been burned.
He just goes through the motions.

And he lies to us and he cries to us,
"I am the greatest on earth!"
He is such a disgrace! How can his base
Ignore his full lack of worth?

-by Bob B (5-8-19)

She was so beautiful, oh, so beautiful.
People said that for miles around.
Her radiant face: the pride of the pueblo;
Her melodious voice: the most pleasant sound.

Blessed with a husband and two lovely sons,
She never imagined her joy would end,
Until the day she found her marido
Making passionate love with her friend.

Jealousy hungers for vengeance, and vengeance
Opens its arms to grief and despair.
The wife was driven mad by her anger--
The pain being more than the woman could bear.

Taking her beautiful boys to the river
That gently serpentined down to the coast,
She drowned them both to hurt her husband.
Their death would make him suffer the most.

“What have I done?” she cried when she came
To her senses. “Padre, condemn me to hell!”
She waded farther out in the water,
And then she drowned herself as well.

Unable to rest, her spirit haunts
The towns, the valleys, the hills, and the plains.
Remorse and guilt can eat at the soul;
A hollow heart is all that remains.

They call her La Llorona; her cries
Can make a person die of fright.
Though seeking her children, she’ll settle for any
And ****** them away in the dark of the night.

Beware, beware, beware La Llorona.
Pity her plight, but fear her intent.
Beware the consequences of anger
And vengeance that leave us with much to lament.

-by Bob B (6-3-21)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (1-6-22)

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)

The past has disappeared, and yet
It's all a part of this moment somehow.
The future hasn't occurred, but it
Is nonetheless tied to now.

The essence of what we were before birth
And also of what we'll be when we're gone
Eludes those who want to explain
An existential phenomenon.

Humankind's greatest attempts
To clarify life's mysteries
All fall short of certainty.
Is there one who truly "sees"?

Time and being are inextricably
Woven together. How sublime!
Time cannot be separated
From being, nor can being from time.

Why spend time--if that's the case--
Speculating on hocus-pocus?
Finding one's authentic self
Ought to be one's major focus.

Fight the waves and you might be
Swept away in the undertow.
Dive into the river of life
And let yourself go with the flow.

-by Bob B (4-4-19)

I ran into Tom the Turkey again.
It's been a year since I saw him last.
He told me he was trying out
A recommended Thanksgiving fast.

"If everybody would fast today,"
He said, "wouldn't THAT be sweet?
They'd be healthier; instead,
They gorge themselves on turkey meat.

"The president can pardon turkeys.
That is something I'd like to discuss
With White House folks. If HE can do that,
Why can't he pardon ALL of us?

"It's getting harder for me each year
To find a place where I can hide.
I've tried to disguise myself, but that
Is awkward. You know I've got my pride.

"People are always making up stories.
Maybe I will do the same.
Spread the word: the meat from turkeys
Is bad and it will bring you shame.

"So it's not true. That doesn't matter.
My goal is to hoodwink and I can achieve it.
People who like conspiracy theories
Are gullible enough to believe it.

"In the meantime, I'm going to keep
A very low profile again today."
He waddled off, wishing me
A happy Thanksgiving anyway.

-by Bob B (11-23-23)

Watch as the hawks preen their feathers.
Searching the landscape, they keep track
Of what is happening all around them
Before planning their attack.

Having a keen sense of vision
While on the lookout for easy prey,
They don't care how others see them
As long as they can win the day.

Traditional diplomacy?
No, that's not part of their plan.
Their hearts are set on crushing their victims
And seeing how far their wings will span.

Conflict seems to energize them,
For conflict is their food, their source
Of livelihood. They don't care
If others suffer. There's no remorse.

Surreptitiously, they act--
Never flaunting their true intent.
Their prime tactics cause confusion--
A truth they try to misrepresent.

They say that acting so is their nature.
Does ALL their aggression make them feel joyous?
It’s sad to suddenly realize
That they were always out to destroy us.

Peace comes at a giant cost
As high above us they circle and soar.
Negotiating with them is useless
When their minds are set on war.

Don't be taken in by their cunning.
Don't fall prey to their devious cries.
Save yourself and others by knowing
How to separate truth from lies.

-by Bob B (5-11-19)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (10-3-18)

Torture. Yes, once again
The topic of torture is in the news,
And whether honor, humanity,
And decency will win or lose.

Trump's nominee to head
The CIA was put on the spot
And couldn't answer the question whether
Torture is immoral or not.

That was enough for Senator
McCain to say his vote would be "Nay."
A White House aide said, No big deal;
"He is dying anyway."

No comment came from the White House.
Was nobody shocked or annoyed?
Or does this show how the Oval Office
Operates in a moral void?

George Washington said that the treatment
Of POWs should be humane.
Of course, that was before Donald Trump--
When presidents tended to be more sane.

-by Bob B (5-11-18)

We’re your friendly Republican
Legislators! Yay!
Whether state or federal,
We are here to stay.
We will change the laws to make
Sure that we maintain
All the power that we want;
We won’t let it wane.

We will use all strategies
To get what we desire--
Even if we have to lie,
Hoodwink or conspire.
If we make it hard to vote,
That will help us win,
As we watch opponents fall
Into a tailspin.

If opponents get perchance
More votes, we won’t grieve,
For we have something really quite
Sneaky up our sleeve.
It will be an obstacle
Easy to surmount:
We’ll find devious ways to make
Opponents' votes not count.

If you look into our eyes
And see we have no soul,
That’s okay ‘cause all we want
Are power and control.
If sacrificing democratic
Values in order to keep
Our power and authority,
We don't give a (bleep).

-by Bob B (3-26-21)

Have you heard of Pastor Rick Wiles?
Pastor Wacko is more apropos.
After hearing about his rants,
I'm sure he's someone I DON'T want to know.

According to him, "they" are planting
Parasite eggs within our vaccine.
Thus, an "evil cabal of people"
Will gain control through COVID-19.

Because of the Chinese medical mafia,
He got COVID, he attested.
They had infected him because
He wanted to have Dr. Fauci arrested.

Other assertions that Wiles has made:
Trump's impeachment: a "Jew coup."
Because of marriage equality,
Earth's destruction will ensue.

Queen Elizabeth is really
A "lizard person" in a disguise.
God will ****** the enemies
Of Donald Trump. What a surprise!

Because of widespread gay rights, God
Is killing chickens and pigs and bees.
Bill Clinton has brain cancer
Because he devours children. Please!

That someone like Wiles has followers
Is as crazy as crazy could be;
But anyone who believes his nonsense
Has to be as wacky as he.

-by Bob B (10-21-21)

Alabamian Roy Moore,
Known as the 10 Commandments judge,
And whose reputation a conscientious
Person would certainly never begrudge,

Has been accused of child molestation--
Something that happened years ago.
But such incidents often surface
Many years later, as we all know.

For violating judicial ethics,
Twice he's been thrown off the bench.
His need for wearing a mask of morality
Is a thirst that he can't quench.

He's been quoted as having said
That 9/11 and Sandy Hook
Resulted because of God's vengeance.
His madness is hard to overlook.

He allegedly liked young girls.
At least that's what we have been told.
According to a recent report,
One was even fourteen-years-old.

Of course he denies it (of course he would)
And says it's fake news--a nasty plot
To smear his character. He wants us
To think that he is something he's not.

Alabamian voters, they say,
Will likely still vote for Moore,
And probably would even if
The man had accusations galore.

He speaks into his mic while standing
Before his fans in a cowboy hat.
They would prefer a *******
To--heaven forbid--a Democrat!

-by Bob B (11-11-17)

The president gazed out the White House window.
Squinting to see through the mist and rain,
He gasped as he made out the faint outline
Of the USS John S. McCain.

His pallid face froze in a grimace.
Turning, he said, “That just can’t be.
It has to be an apparition.
How could the ship be here in D.C.?”

Consulting his television set,
He let out a scream of utter disdain.
The image was on his TV screen:
The USS John S. McCain.

Dashing around the Oval Office
Like a madman, completely deranged,
He called his advisers, blathering madly,
"The name of that ship has to be changed!"

Off to Asia the president flew.
As he took in the view from his plane,
Down below him his eyes fell upon
The USS John S. McCain.

"Why…why…must he torment me?"
He asked his wife in a fit of despair.
He bit his lip with so much force,
The blood gushed out, causing a scare.

"Give me a towel!" he yelled. He held it
Up to his lip, which was throbbing in pain.
Moments later the blood left an image:
The USS John S. McCain.

Members of the president's team
Rushed to find places to hide.
Contradicting the angry boss
Would be political suicide.

The president, loving to bully others,
Finds his impulses hard to restrain.
May he be haunted forever and ever
By the USS John S. McCain.

-by Bob B (6-10-19)

A monk went to meet with his master
And wondered what the sage would say.
"Master," he said, "I'm disappointed;
Today hasn't been my day.

"My mind is very distracted; it's like
A monkey jumping from limb to limb.
My legs ache; my eyelids are heavy;
I fall asleep when the lights are dim.

"Whatever I'm doing doesn't seem right.
I seem to be floundering in a morass."
The master quietly gazed at the student
And calmly said, "It will pass."

A month later the monk returned
To meet with his master once again.
"Master," he cried excitedly,
"I think I've grasped the meaning of Zen!

"Today my meditation was perfect.
I feel so calm; I feel such peace.
My mind is clear, focused and centered--
The way it should be when all thoughts cease.

"It's just like a…I don't know…
A calm lake as smooth as glass."
The master looked at the monk and said
Matter-of-factly, "It will pass."

-by Bob B (6-1-17)

°A Zen story retold in verse

Back in the 1950s my cousin
Met a guy, and later they wed.
For sixty-four years they were together,
Until her death parted Shirley and Ed.

They moved to gorgeous New Mexico--
The state where their three kids were bred.
The mountains, mesas, and desert splendor
All were captivating to Ed.

He worked for Sandia Laboratories
And therefore wasn't a knucklehead.
But we never knew what he really did.
A top-secret kind of guy was Ed.

When people didn't use their brains,
He likened them to the living dead.
Critical thinking was high on the list
Of priorities for wise ol' Ed.

A die-hard atheist he was.
One thing that made the man see red
Was forcing religious beliefs on others.
That was anathema to Ed.

No, he was a man of science and reason,
Astute and knowledgeable. He said
That all religions are based on myths,
And myths are myths, according to Ed.

Some say that without religion you can't
Be ethical, but there's no shred
Of evidence to prove that theory.
A perfect example was honest Ed.

He wasn't what you’d call a big spender.
Wasting money was something he'd dread.
Thus, he lived quite frugally,
Though comfortably, if you'd asked Ed.

But he loved friends and family
And welcomed them with arms outspread.
Though he could be a curmudgeon at times,
You couldn't help but like dear Ed.

Until recent years, it was
Quite an active life that he led.
When he was still in his 80s, you could
Play a match of tennis with Ed.

There are people who'd benefit
From following the path he tread.
An active life and an active mind
Were key facets of life for Ed.

Now that he's left us, I can no longer
Chat with him on the phone; instead,
I will rely on my memories--
My memories of dear ol' Ed.

-by Bob B (12-24-22)

"I was like, Wow, THAT is crazy!
He was like, There's no parallel.
I was like, That is SO bizarre.
He was like, Yeah, what the hell?

"So I was like, Why don't people get it?
He was like, They are SO deranged.
I was like, What is happening here?
He was like, Weird how people have changed.

"I was like, I am flabbergasted.
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
He was like, Yeah, that's so strange.
But that's how people get their kicks.

"I was like, Couldn't they see it coming?
He was like, Yeah, give me a break!
I was like, What were they thinking of?
He was like, THAT really takes the cake!

"I was like, What are we going to do?
What will it take to get it together?
He was like, Well, if we do,
Knock me over with a feather."

What's going on with the English language
With the overuse of "like"?
It seems that specificity
And clarity have gone on strike.

-by Bob B (10-19-21)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-16-19)

If we are a compassionate land
That genuinely cares about others,
We shouldn't separate families
And rip kids out of the arms of their mothers

And then place them in foster care,
Or in what John Kelly would call
"Whatever," thus allowing the Trump
Administration to play hardball.

Refugees seeking asylum:
Look at how we cruelly mistreat them.
They follow the rules and knock on our door,
And then look at how we greet them?

Ah, so being cruel is supposed
To be a deterrent. That will explain
Why certain leaders feel that they
Can justify being inhumane.

The children--one was just a year old--
Are often taken to different states!
In both the mother and in the children,
Imagine the trauma that this creates.

And then Trump further muddies the waters--
Playing the usual Trumpian game--
And writes an obnoxious tweet saying
That Democrats are the ones to blame!

My country 'tis of thee, it's not our liberty
Or our humanity of which we sing.
Don't spout that righteous stuff, for we have had enough.
If it's all just a bluff, to what can we cling?

-by Bob B (5-26-18)

A miller, with his son in tow,
Was taking their *** to the market to seek
A buyer for the animal.
They needed the money, for times were bleak.

Soon they encountered a group of girls
Who giggled and laughed and starting chiding
The two, by saying, "You are fools.
Why are you walking when you could be riding?"

And so the miller made the boy
Mount the *** while he walked.
After some time, they ran across
A group of friends and stopped and talked.

"You'll spoil your son," the friends remarked,
"By letting him ride while you trudge along.
You should ride and let him get
Some exercise to make him strong."

Therefore, the miller exchanged places
With his son and rode on the ***.
Soon a party of women and children
Approached the miller and son en masse.

"What a selfish old man!" they said.
"He rides in comfort while his kid
Must plod along behind him. Hmmm.
Has the old guy flipped his lid?"

So then the miller told the lad
To sit behind him. After a while
They ran into some travelers whom
They'd seen approaching the last quarter mile.

"Is that your ***," they asked, "or is it
One that you have merely rented?"
"It's mine to take to the market to sell,"
The miller said, slightly tormented.

The others replied, "The animal
Will be so tired when you get to town
That no one will even look at it.
If you were smart, you'd both get down."

The two climbed off the ***'s back.
To minimize damage control,
They tied the ***'s hooves together,
And through its legs they slid a pole.

And so they carried the *** who hung
Upside down from the pole. The sight
Had to be insanely bizarre.
And you and I know that ***** aren't light.

Onward to town they continued.
When the villagers saw them come near,
The scene was so ridiculous
That all they could do was laugh and jeer.

They had to cross a wooden bridge,
The miller and son--still market bound.
All of a sudden the *** broke its ties
And fell into the river and drowned.

The miller stood there stunned and ashamed.
He said to his weary son, "Let's go.
Why we listened to all those people
And all their advice, I don't know."

On their way home, he said to the boy,
"I hope you learned a lesson, my son.
And that is when you try to please all,
You will end up pleasing none."

-by Bob B (8-12-21)

°An Aesop fable, "The Miller, His Son, and Their ***," retold here in verse

Hey, come join us. Be a part
Of what our Party has come to be:
The re-imagined, highly unorthodox,
Radicalized GOP.

Proud Boys and other radical groups,
Step on up; display your charms.
You have found a home with us;
We welcome you with open arms.

White supremacists, don't worry:
The GOP won't shy away
From giving you a place where you
Can spew your hate and have your say.

QAnon folks, some of your
Conspiracy theories are right up our alley.
Of course, you'll be expected to
Show up at each Republican rally.

One of our leading goals is to make
It harder and harder for people to vote.
Overturning election results
Is something else that we promote.

If we say Dems are anti-American
And scream "Socialism!" enough,
We can pretend to be patriots
And dare the Left to call our bluff.

Facts are not important to us
As long as we can be in control.
Equality and justice both
Play for us a minor role.

We don’t care how wacky you are;
We just rely on your total support.
The key words that guide us now
Are "loyalty," "gaslight," "distract," and "distort."

Of course, we yell out "Unity!"
With fingers crossed behind our backs.
Power is where it's at, and we
Thrive on power to the max.

When it comes to rules, flout them--
Unless they serve your needs at the time.
The end will justify the means.
Not to believe that would be a crime.

The obstacles to achieving power
Are certainly NOT insurmountable.
We like accountability,
As long as you don't hold us accountable.

If probity is not an issue,
You are going to like what you see:
The re-imagined, highly unorthodox,
Radicalized GOP.

-by Bob B (2-6-21)

For what occurred on March 7,
There was truly no excuse.
Although the day started out calmly,
Before long all hell broke loose.

The year: 1965.
Selma, Alabama: the place.
Six hundred marchers for freedom
And state troopers stood face to face.

The goal of the marchers was a demand
For equal rights in the voting booth,
For the tight grip of Jim Crow laws
In America was an ugly truth.

The plan: a peaceful march from Selma
To the Alabama capital, where
They would take their grievances
To the governor. What's fair is fair.

Reaching the Edmund Pettus Bridge--
Named, by the way, after a man
Who'd been a Confederate general
And member of the Ku Klux ****--

The marchers stopped. The state troopers
Told them all to turn around.
However, the marchers, one of whom
Was John Lewis°, stood their ground.

Soon the state troopers advanced,
Wearing gas masks and waving their sticks.
They threw some whips and tubing wrapped
In barbed wire into the mix.

Men, women, and children were beaten.
Blood was flowing; marchers were screaming.
Some of white spectators were
Holding Confederate flags and beaming.

That evening, while millions were watching
"Judgment at Nuremberg" on TV,
The movie was interrupted by scenes
Of the brutal assault for all to see.

The day is known as ****** Sunday--
A day that we should never forget.
And yet today the voting rights
Of people of color are still under threat.

When we restrict the right to vote,
Democracy's up against the wall.
No one is free until ALL are free.
Equal rights means justice for all.

-by Bob B (3-6-21)

°American politician, statesman, and civil rights activist who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 until his death in 2020

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-25-19)

°Secretary of Energy for Donald Trump

George and Martha°--what a couple!--
Blurring the lines between truth and illusion,
Undoubtedly aided, of course, by the *****
Which loosens their tongues as they drink in profusion.

Attacking, needling, going for the jugular--
Oh, the vicious games they play,
Going at each other, and also pulling
Other people into the fray.

Must truth and illusion be so hard
To distinguish between and cause despair?
Do we rely on illusion when
Facing the truth is so hard to bear?

How destructive that can be!
It's obvious that things will go bad,
And we can relate to Martha's words:
"George and Martha: sad, sad, sad."

The truth is there if we dare to seek it.
It isn't something we ought to eschew.
Are you afraid of Virginia Woolf?
If so, then you should know what to do.

-by Bob B (2-20-23)

°From Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

The race continues--a race that's been
On the track for a number of years
To see who can be the most obnoxious
And earn the loudest misapplied cheers.

For the longest time we've seen
Donald Trump taking the lead,
But Ron DeSantis° and George Santos°°
Without a doubt are picking up speed.

Who can tell more lies than the others,
Pour more salt in the nation's sores,
Support the most exclusive laws,
Or perpetrate more culture wars?

Being on the right side
Of history should be a goal.
Each of the three men mentioned above
Sadly, though, has sold his soul.

Other runners aren't far behind.
They are almost as loathsome, as loud.
None of the racers realize
That winning this race should not make them proud.

For the moment, DeSantis and Santos
Are trailing Trump, but by and by,
Will one of the them pull ahead and win,
Or will it be a three-way tie?

-by Bob B (1-20-23)

°Governor of Florida
°°U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district

“Lock her up!” Trump’s fans would yell
At campaign rallies in 2016.
Trump just ate it up, for he
Loves to see his fans make a scene.

Over and over, Trump would harp
About Hillary's emails, and then,
When his subsequent rally occurred,
He started in all over again.

The alleged mishandling of classified docs
Became Trump's wild and crazy fixation.
The mere mention of jailing Clinton
Would get from his crowd a loud ovation.

It didn't matter that there was no proof
Of willful negligence involved;
To lambaste Clinton in any way
He could, Donald Trump was resolved.

We know that Trump engages in conduct
That he accuses others of doing.
The FBI has taken his classified
Docs, and now the man is stewing.

In office, Trump had signed into law
A bill cracking down on anyone
Willfully mishandling
Classified docs. But what has he done?

Exactly that! Allegedly.
How ironic if we should find
That Trump is guilty and sentenced under
The very same law that he had signed!

Covering up his many wrong-doings
And breaking the rules with pomp and glee
Have been Trump's M.O. from the start.
But will it blow up in his face? We'll see.

-by Bob B (8-28-22)

Uvalde, Texas. Miah Cerrillo,
A child only eleven years old,
Will never forget a day in May
As she watched a horrible scene unfold.

She was in class when a shooter entered
And massacred kids before her eyes.
The weapon that he used was the type
That spews bullets that pulverize.

To save herself, Miah thought fast.
To trick the killer, she tried to pretend
That she was dead, and that she did
By smearing herself with the blood of a friend.

Perhaps her decision saved her life.
She is lucky to still be alive.
But nineteen other children and two
Teachers sadly didn't survive.

What are lawmakers going to do?
Will they be among the ones
Who truly believe deep down in their hearts
That kids are more important than guns?

-by Bob B (6-10-22)

This is a tale of a killer,
Though not in the usual sense.
Although he's not killing people,
The scale of his crime is immense.

This particular killer
Is one who is out to destroy
The U.S. Postal Service.
His name is Louis DeJoy.

Appointed by Donald J. Trump
As a postmaster general ****,
DeJoy is wrecking a system
So that he could pull the plug.

When you are one of Trump's donors,
Competency doesn't matter
As much as loyalty does,
For Trump prefers the latter.

Despite his conflicts of interest,
DeJoy got this postal position.
The man has invested millions
In post office competition.

He has disassembled
Mail-sorting machines.
His goal: slow down the service
By any available means.

If his efforts continue,
You will find greater success
Having a letter delivered
Faster by pony express.

Morale among workers is low.
Of course, that's no surprise,
As working conditions grow worse
And workplace injuries rise.

Having this killer run loose
Is something that we can't afford.
Unfortunately, his removal
Is up to a postal board.

Now DeJoy is under
Investigation. Why?
An alleged straw donor scheme.
Good luck to the FBI!

Perhaps that's what it will take
To give the guy the hook.
In the meantime, it seems
As though we'll be stuck with the crook.

When his removal will happen,
So far we can't tell.
Let's just hope for the day
That we can bid him farewell.
Oh, what a glorious day
When we can bid him farewell!

-by Bob B (10-29-21)

The crowd saw him, the president,
With his sycophants clapping their hands;
Their images filled the stadium screen
High above the spectator stands.

Suddenly, one could hear,
Amidst the cheers and jeers of the crowd,
Familiar words: "Lock him up!"
One would think that Trump would be proud.

How he loves to hear those words
At his political rallies! Plus,
When he wants to encourage his fans
To blast his opponents, they do it thus.

Wait! Ah, but now it's different.
Someone who always behaves by whim
Can now experience how it feels
To have the words directed at HIM.

Considering all the damage he's caused,
Let's give credit where credit is due:
Whether it's right, the man deserves
Every heckle, every boo.

Impeachment looms, but his removal
From office is not so likely, they say.
Still, Congress has the duty
To go through the process anyway.

In the meantime, while he watches
His reputation go up in flames,
Maybe the man seriously
Ought to avoid attending games.

-by Bob B (10-30-19)

The scent of pine wafting through the woods;
The gentle rush of serpentining streams;
Plaintive begging calls from forest birds;
A silvery pool reflecting the moon's bright beams…
Nature's sights and scents and sounds combined
Or on their own can give great peace of mind.

A flower squeezing through a neighbor's wall;
An unattended garden, overgrown;
The sounds of children playing in a park;
A stranger musing on a porch alone…
Wherever we are, we can nonetheless
Be moved in ways that words cannot express.

The rest of the world is totally shocked:
There is no refuting
That we have a serious problem here
With shooting after shooting.

Other countries attack the problem
By swiftly taking action.
Currently, Americans don't
Have that satisfaction.

Legislators beholden to
The gun lobby feel
That if they pass commonsense laws,
They won't have a deal.

A deal? What? Money? Donors?
The fear that they'll lose votes?
Look at all the deaths that their
Failure to act promotes!

Red flag laws? That's a start.
Background checks? A must.
Efforts to stop the violence
Must be more robust!

Assault weapons? They must go.
Instead of getting a boost,
High capacity magazines
Have to be reduced.

Strip the NRA of its power
And weaken its stranglehold
On politicians everywhere.
Weapons must be controlled.

Now THAT is what I call a start--
A commonsense response
To dealing with a deadly threat
And dangerous nonchalance.

We must wonder how many more
Shootings will take place
Before America deals with
The problem face to face.

-by Bob B (9-3-19)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-10-19)

Try to imagine how it feels--
And this does happen, bear in mind--
To be told by another person,
"Sorry, but we don't serve your kind."

Try to imagine what it's like
To hear over and over that you
Cannot enjoy the same rights
That the majority of people do

Because of the color of your skin,
Beliefs, or ****** orientation.
Humankind is crippled by
Despicable discrimination.

You can apply faulty logic
And you can be falsely pious,
Using contrived arguments
To cleverly justify your bias.

Such sophistry comes to nothing.
Falling short right from the start,
It treats humanity with contempt
And reveals a hollow human heart.

What a wonderful world we'd have
If the whole human race
Embraced the powerful idea that
Discrimination had no place!

-by Bob B (8-20-17)

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)

Saturday night, November 19:
A gunman entered a bar
And started shooting at those who were present,
Leaving a somber scar

On many lives, for five were killed;
Their lives can't be replaced.
Such a shooter lives with hatred
And anger interlaced.

Nineteen others were injured there.
Their lives will never be
The same again, for they'll live with
That dreadful memory.

The patrons used to consider the club
A place where they could feel
Safe and secure with being themselves--
A place where they could be real.

No longer will that be the case.
The LGBTQ
Community has once again
Seen malice flourish anew.

Vicious words and violent speech
Have gotten out of hand,
And people lose their humanity when
The fires of rancor are fanned.

Hatred comes in many forms
And leaves a nasty smirch
On all of us, and sadly it
Is often taught in church.

-by Bob B (11-22-22)

Nominee Gina Haspel
To head the CIA? No way!
How can senators ignore
The ugly truths on her resumé.

Having run a black site in Thailand
Where prisoners were tortured, she
Then erased the evidence
In hopes to clear the agency.

And now our leaders want to promote her?
****! Please excuse the profanity,
But one would think it more apropos
To try her for crimes against humanity?

"Enhanced interrogation techniques"--
What a sickening euphemism
Used to justify the use
Of torture to fight terrorism.

According to Trump, waterboarding
Is an acceptable practice; what's more,
He would push it further and do
What conscientious people deplore.

Apparently, justifications
For cruelty are easy to spin
When democratic values are being
Attacked from both without and within.

-by Bob B (5-14-18)

(The following poem could be sung to the melody of Kander and Ebbs' "Meeskite," from the stage production of CABARET. If you don't know the melody, go to YouTube and search for "Meeskite Cabaret" and you can listen to it.)

Mug shot, mug shot…
Trump seems proud that now he has a
Mug shot, mug shot.
I would not be proud if I were he;
But that's so like him.
Will there be damage?
The chance is slim.
Mug shot, mug shot…
Look at it; you'll see it's quite a
Mug shot, mug shot--
Such a scowl and such a look of
Evil and sheer disdain.
He hopes it helps his campaign.

He has four indictments.
Surely, he knows his plate is full,
And when people mention it, he will reply,
"It's BULL!"
He just doesn't get it.
He feels he should be above the law.
His corrupt acts have caught up with him.
Now watch him squirm. Hurrah!

Mug shot, mug shot…
I have seldom seen a viler
Mug shot, mug shot.
He knows that his base will love it.
He thinks it is deluxe,
For he will rake in the MAGAbucks!

Mug shot, mug shot…
Former presidents who have a
Mug shot, mug shot,
Simply don't exist, for Trump
Has turned out to be the first.
For vengeance Trump now has thirst.

Some of us wonder:
In all his trials how will he fare?
His major worry is who's going to do…
His hair!
Still he's complaining,
Trying to turn his base against
The prosecutors and judges, too,
Pretending he's incensed.

Mug shot, mug shot…
Trump has an unprecedented
Mug shot, mug shot.
What will happen if he
Is convicted on many counts?
We'll have to watch as the pressure mounts.
Mug shot, mug shot…
I hope that I never have a
Mug shot, mug shot.
Who would want one that would make you
Look like an evil grump?
Only someone like Trump!

-by Bob B (8-27-23)

Tired of hearing news about COVID?
You THOUGHT it was going away? Not true.
You might be tired of hearing about it,
But it's not tired of hearing about you.

The Delta variant is spreading here
At what we see is a frightening speed.
In other words, what we are seeing
Is a Delta-strain stampede.

Fifty-eight percent of current
Cases here are Delta related.
The seriousness of the spreading virus
Can in no way be overstated.

Meet Blake B. from the state of Georgia,
Only 24-years old.
He thought he would wait for his
Vaccination, when lo and behold

He came down with COVID and has
Spent three months in a hospital bed.
He needed a double-lung transplant,
And who knows what else lies ahead?

COVID's an opportunistic virus;
It doesn't respond to demands and orders.
It seeks out fertile territories
And pays no attention to labels and borders.

Recently, Missouri has been
In big trouble, for COVID is spreading.
The situation there is precisely
What most of the experts have been dreading.

Florida's also being hit hard.
And yet some wear T-shirts that read
"Don't Fauci my Florida!"--
A rather stupid saying indeed.

You could survive the virus; however,
Long-haul COVID is still a concern.
You may think you're ahead of the game,
But don't forget: the tables may turn.

Misinformation spreads as fast
As COVID does, which is depressing.
Social media seems to have
Become more of a curse than a blessing.

But masks and social distancing
Are both still effective means
To stay protected from the virus
Without or even WITH vaccines.

Knowing that COVID's preventable
Now that we have a vaccination
Should make everybody want
To put an end to the devastation.

-by Bob B (7-15-21)

Have you come across a bullet ant?
I haven’t yet and hope I never do.
I know that just a single, brief encounter
Would be one that I certainly would rue.

Of all the stinging insects in the world,
This ant--it's said--inflicts the sharpest pain,
Which is so intense, the victims say,
That most attempts to soothe it are in vain.

They say the agony is similar
To that of being shot with someone's gun.
Now, I have NO idea how that feels,
But I will wager that it isn't fun.

Another thing: it takes a bit of time
For the piercing pain to go away.
It doesn’t disappear for many hours,
And even lasts for up to one whole day.

In Central and in South America,
These inch-long scary ants have lived and thrived.
And frankly, if I never ever meet one,
I have to say that I won't feel deprived.

Of course, we have our critters in the city:
The roach, the spider, fly, and bumblebee.
That's okay, but I am adamant
When I say jungle living's not for me.

-by Bob B (8-8-21)