For "peace-keeping reasons," says Putin,
Russian forces surround Ukraine.
To people who are able to see
Through Putin's lies the reasons are plain.

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (2-22-22)

The 4th of July is here, and though
We haven't reached our goal,
We have still made headway getting
COVID under control.

A year ago, times were scary,
But I'll go out on a limb
To say that 2021
Is looking a lot less grim.

However, the Delta variant's spreading;
We must be on our guard.
Wherever we are vulnerable
It leaves its calling card.

And so enjoy your barbecue,
Potato salad and pie.
Party wisely, and have a safe
And happy 4th of July.

-by Bob B (7-4-21)

The president stood before the mic
And told the public not to fear--
That things were not so bad--but didn't
Say that he was insincere.

He let them think that oh, we have
COVID-19 under control,
As he tried to convince the public
To follow him down the rabbit hole.

He found a doctor who was not
An epidemiologist
To spread his propaganda, and he
Allowed the experts to be dismissed.

He thoughtlessly invited his fans
To rallies where masks were not required
And thought his obstinacy and his
Insouciance made him highly admired.

He scorned those who wore their masks
And knew the virus was a threat,
And when journalists pressed him about
The issue, he'd become upset.

Thinking he knew so much more
Than all of the experts, he made sure
That CDC recommendations
Would soften and remain obscure.

All of a sudden, what do we learn?
The president is hospitalized
For having contracted COVID-19.
Is anybody at all surprised?

The lesson here: denial does not
Make problems disappear on their own.
Always consider consequences,
For we will reap what we have sown.

Negligence as a strategy
Slowly but surely gives danger a boost
When our actions catch up with us--
When the chickens come home to roost.

-by Bob B (10-4-20)

(This poem can be sung to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne.")

It's been a year from hell--one that
We might choose to forget.
Our routine and our very lives
Have been under constant threat.

Let’s raise a glass and give a toast,
For we have reached the end
Of 2020. Will good things
Await us 'round the bend?

A deadly virus spread and still
It takes a heavy toll.
Let's hope the vaccines wipe it out;
That will be the New Year's goal.

Let’s raise a glass and give a toast,
For we have reached the end
Of 2020. Will good things
Await us 'round the bend?

The votes were cast; the people spoke.
Now let's shout out three cheers,
For gone will be the one who gave
Us four nightmarish years.

Let’s raise a glass and give a toast,
For we have reached the end
Of 2020. Will good things
Await us 'round the bend?

-by Bob B (12-31-20)

If I develop dementia someday,
Will the condition be obvious to me?
Will I be able to know that I
Am out of touch with reality?

Will I notice that when I speak,
People exchange puzzled glances?
Will I also be cognizant of
All of my changing circumstances?

Will I notice that people are rolling
Their eyes every now and then
When I continue to ask the same
Questions over and over again?

Will people say, "I told you that
Three times already!" and not understand
That my behavior needs a patient
Response and not a reprimand?

In certain situations will
I know why I am lost or confused?
If somebody tries to shame or hurt me,
Will I know why my heart is bruised?

It will not help to scold me because
I'll forget whatever you say.
In fact, I doubt I'll even remember
That we saw each other today.

If I forget your name or who
You are, I hope you are not sad.
If you remember me when I
Was young and alert, I'll be glad.

As of now, I think my mind
Is pretty clear, and so I won't
Worry yet. But then again,
Maybe YOU know something I don't.

-by Bob B (8-1-21)

The days feel wintry; nights are cold.
We're trying to spread some holiday cheer.
But once again it's a COVID Christmas--
A little bit like the one last year.

We've made some progress in fighting the virus.
I got my vaccine and should feel protected.
Too bad there is so much resistance
To something that stops us from being infected.

Many people sing songs about joy,
Peace on earth, and goodwill toward all,
While at the same time they've disregarded
The rising COVID numbers this fall.

To help us stay safe and also enjoy
More holiday seasons, we cannot let
Ourselves be guided by lies that spread
On both the TV and the internet.

To put an end to this dreadful pandemic,
Cooperation must be greater.
What is now an inconvenience
Will be a giant help to us later.

'Tis the season for celebrating.
Whatever that means, we will see
That if we take precautions, we'll make
Next year's holidays COVID free.

-by Bob B (12-15-21)

What will it take to overcome
The anger, the constant retaliation,
The frequent demand of an eye for an eye,
The bellicose leaders and war-caused starvation?

What will it take to put an end
To built-in hatred that's centuries old,
To never-ending power plays,
To warring factions that can't be controlled?

What will it take to stop the many
Proxy wars that **** and maim
Innocent people who then become
Collateral damage in a war game?

What will it take to persuade intransigent
People with power to compromise--
To strive for peaceful solutions by seeing
The world through more compassionate eyes?

What WILL it take? Is it beyond
Our human capacity to know?
Is it part of our DNA
To always have to battle a foe?

And if there's a god who could intervene,
He/She/It must be horrified
To watch the battling parties at work,
Each one thinking a god's on its side.

-by Bob B (9-24-24)

Lie, deny, delay. These are
Three methods that Trump employs
To con his way through life. And, yes,
He's good at making lots of noise.

What comes easy for him, of course,
Without a doubt is all the lying.
He is also very adept
At method number two: denying.

Delaying is a bit of a challenge.
To accomplish that, his team resorts
To throwing spaghetti at the wall
To see what sticks in cases in courts.

How ironic: he claims to be
The candidate of law and order
But makes up lies about what is
Occurring on our southern border.

Law and order? What a joke!
The first thing that he'll do, says he,
If he's back in the White House to serve
One more term in office will be

To pardon the thugs who've been convicted
Of crimes involving their connection
With the January 6
Shocking Capitol insurrection.

What a cruel, insensitive,
Vicious, heartless slap in the face
To law enforcement officers
Who were attacked while guarding the place!

If Trump agrees that democracy
And Law and Order are major concerns,
Why then are the ones who protect
Democracy the ones he spurns?

Will Donald Trump once again
Lie and deny his way to the top?
Or will his cold, uncaring campaign
Turn out to be a giant flop?

-by Bob B (4-8-24)

I no longer recognize
These United States.
In my lifetime, we've never been
In such desperate straits.

Due process for many folks
Is widely being denied.
We are seeing the Constitution
Being cast aside.

The power-hungry president
Constantly tries to extort
Favors from others and threatens them if
He doesn't get their support.

The rule of law is currently being
Eroded by the hour
To give the demented president
Authoritarian power.

Trumplicans watch him defy the courts,
And they're okay with it.
He could spit in their faces, and yes,
He'd get away with it.

He treats the DOJ as though
It's his private firm,
And AG Bondi wants to make
Trump's dissenters squirm.

The envy of the world was our
Economy when he
Ascended the throne, but now the mess
He's making is sad to see.

He doesn't care if people might suffer
From a Trump recession.
Doesn't he understand that tariffs
Worsened the Great Depression?

Trump and his administration
Will not back away
From trying to have control over
What we do and say.

His many executive orders are being
Challenged, but he doesn't care.
He derives great Schadenfreude
From other people's despair.

"America the Beautiful"
Is now a different song.
It's lyrics must reflect what is
Occurring. Sing along:

How sad it is to see this land
Become what it's become!
The president looks down on us
As though we're worthless ****.
America! America!
Please say it's not too late.
Democracy? Autocracy?
Oh, what will be our fate?

-by Bob B (4-12-25)

As cases of COVID-19 keep rising,
Denial is not the best solution.
Pretending the virus is not a threat
Won't bring about its diminution.

Talking about inflated numbers,
Calling it names like the "kung flu,"
Saying that it will disappear
On its own? Truly, the wrong thing to do.

When people don't heed the guidance of experts
And choose instead to rationalize
Careless behavior, they are allowing
Foolishness to wear a disguise.

Beating this virus requires that we
Work together and do our part
To implement the best and wisest
Practices--to do what's smart.

Maintain social distancing,
Avoid crowds in closed-in places,
And wear a mask when out in public.
We've GOT to stop the rise in cases.

If covering your nose and mouth
To you is a disagreeable task,
Instead of whining about your freedoms,
Just shut up and put on your mask!

-by Bob B (6-29-20)

When you were a child, did you
Believe in Santa Claus? If so,
Did you ever doubt his actions?
Or was that far too long ago?

Did you wonder how the man
Could know which kids were naughty or nice,
Or how he could give gifts to so many
Kids in the world and be so precise?

It's like today: a lot of people
Find no fault with Trump's absurd
Policies and promises
And never attempt to question his word.

They do not think his tariff plans
Will have a negative effect
On the nation's economy,
Which could easily be wrecked.

They don't consider how mass deportations
Of millions of people living here hurts
ALL of us, including extremist
Americans with whom Trump flirts.

They can't imagine how the crackpots
That he appoints to his admin team
Will put us in danger as they support
His anti-rule-of-law regime.

They don't even react when Trump
Thumbs his nose at rules and laws.
Yes, a lot of adults--it appears--
Still believe in Santa Claus.

-by Bob B (12-10-24)

“I’m not going to wear a mask,”
The man says with a look of defiance,
As he stands in the midst of a crowd,
Defying common sense and science.

"I don't like the government,"
The man without a mask proceeds.
It only comes in handy for him
When it happens to suit his needs.

"The government is not," he adds,
"Going to tell me what to do."
Only his unreliable
Sources tell him what is true.

"The CDC can't be trusted,"
He says with a look of disdain,
Letting too many conspiracy theories
Seep into his paranoid brain.

"No business or place of work
Can make me wear a mask," he declares.
When it comes to the safety of all,
His words show how little he cares.

"Freedom is what it's all about,"
He shouts, but he just doesn't see
That it has nothing to do with freedom;
It’s merely utter stupidity.

-by Bob B (5-21-20)

Anti-vaxxers have been chanting
"My…body…my…choice!"
As a response to the COVID vaccine.
That's the message they choose to voice.

For years, pro-choice supporters have used
The same slogan, proclaiming their vision:
That when it comes to women's bodies,
What women do is THEIR decision.

Texas legislators have now
Passed draconian abortion laws,
Which are so extreme that they
Put the rights of women on pause.

The laws permit citizens
To act as bounty hunters per se,
Which shows that intimidation in Texas
Apparently will be okay.

For frivolous reasons, anyone
Can take somebody else to court
Who knew someone who needed to end
A pregnancy and offered support.

No provisions for **** or ******:
A case in which there is no maybe.
If a woman is *****, then she
Must deliver the ******'s baby!

No abortions after six weeks?
Let's be frank and not forget
That many women in just six weeks
Don't even know they're pregnant yet.

Republicans in Texas have
Decided that they prefer the song:
"YOUR…body…MY…choice"--
Something they've aimed for all along.

-by Bob B (9-2-21)

He died at seventy years of age;
His words had poisoned a nation.
Much of what he ranted about
Was total fabrication.

White identity politics:
He set a blueprint for that.
And when he criticized liberals,
He upped the thermostat.

Race-baiting for him was certainly
Par for the course.
Constant attack was his strategy,
With no hint of remorse.

Being politically INcorrect
To show his point of view
And crossing the line of propriety
Were what he loved to do.

True he had his loyal fans
Who would never condemn
His bigotry and conspiracy theories.
What is wrong with them?

The Capitol insurrectionists,
Naturally, he'd spout,
Were NOT thugs, but patriots!
Figure that one out.

When giving him the Medal of Freedom
Despite his divisive ways,
Trump insulted all the people
Really deserving of praise.

There are some who’ll jump for joy,
Knowing that Rush is gone.
But sadly all his vitriol
Continues to live on.

-by Bob B (2-18-21)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Twenty twenty-one is now
Behind us and we're moving on.
But sadly we are starting out
This brand new year with Omicron.

Concerned individuals
Observe the facts and then implore us
To put our heads together to deal
Wtih challenges that lie before us:

Catastrophes from climate change,
Threats to our democracy,
COVID variants running rampant,
Distrust and religious hypocrisy….

Also, wherever you look these days,
You'll notice many a trend-setter--
The toxic, obstreperous type who feels
The more obnoxious you are the better.

Lies spread like wildfire.
Far too many people pursue them
And let them color their fantasies
Instead of trying to see right through them.

And so we have a giant task:
To spread the truth and let it guide us--
To put more faith into checking facts
And not let fallacies divide us.

So that's my VOW if I may have
A vow for 2022--
Mainly because relying on reason
Is surely the proper thing to do.

-by Bob B (1-1-22)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

The Trump v. Harris TV showdown
Had long been anticipated,
And Trump's usual windstorm of lies
Continued to blow unabated.

I saw a text by a friend who wrote,
"That was amazing. Wasn't Trump great?"
I had to ask, "Were she and I
Both watching the same debate?"

Trump repeated again and again
His strange and false information
Regarding our economy,
Roe v. Wade, and immigration.

He couldn't speak on policies
Or even describe his healthcare plan.
Refusing to look at Harris, he looked
More like a weak, pitiful man.

When talking about a world leader
Who sang his praises, what did he do?
He referred to Viktor Orbán--
A demagogue, through and through!

Harris spoke of child tax credits,
Job creation, business assistance,
Energy plans, women's choice,
Moving forward, and coexistence.

True, a couple of times she did
Sidestep her questions; that I admit.
For Trump, that is par for the course.
And when he's pressed, he throws a fit.

How could any voter be
Undecided when it's so clear
Who is fit to lead us forward
Toward a hopeful, new frontier?

-by Bob B (9-11-24)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (1-18-20)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-8-19)

Our spirits hover over the rubble--
Here and there a school or dwelling,
An abandoned camp or a hospital--
Targets of constant Israeli shelling.

We see our bodies within the debris--
Along with our siblings, our fathers and mothers,
Doctors, teachers, journalists, medics,
Aid-workers and many others.

We see the doctors desperately
Treating the injured with few supplies.
Cries of anguish and pain fill the night
As rockets carry more bombs through the skies.

While Palestinians are under attack
And tens of thousands of people have died,
The world wastes its time debating
"IS it or ISN'T it genocide?"

"Ethnic cleansing"--whatever you call it--
Is ****** on a scale that is grand.
It's Netanyahu's excuse to commit
Atrocities in the "holy land."

A fantasy of the "chosen people"?
Thousands of years of tribal strife,
Blood, ******, vengeance, violence…
Lies in the scriptures come to life.

Countries supplying Netanyahu
With deadly weapons, have you no shame?
Have you lost your sense of compassion?
In what he's doing, you share the blame.

Our spirits hover; our sadness lingers.
We yearn for the madness and killing to cease.
We yearn for an amicable resolution.
Will we be able to rest in peace?

-by Bob B (4-16-25)

The battle continues as COVID-19
Insidiously continues to spread.
People are doing their part to combat it--
Still not knowing what lies ahead.

The luckier folks have milder cases.
Self-quarantined, they hope they can win
The battle against the dangerous virus--
Trying to smile as their patience wears thin.

In hospital rooms around the country
People are struggling to stay alive.
The virus stealthily crosses all boundaries,
Seeking out places where it can thrive.

Health care workers everywhere
Are putting their lives in danger to give
Excellent treatment to those in their care.
Their goal: helping their patients to live.

Loved ones live in anguish and fear.
Unable to enter hospital rooms
To comfort the ones they love, they must
Avoid a place where danger looms.

Doctors and nurses, along with other
Trained medical personnel,
Perform their medical duties and serve
As "family" to the dying as well.

A laptop or phone might be the only
Contact some have with the world outside.
For many, their bodies succumb to the virus,
For they are unable to turn the tide.

Hold them in your heart--the ones
Who are isolated and on their own.
Embrace them all with loving thoughts--
The ones who sadly must die alone.

-by Bob B (4-9-20)

According to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm,
When Grandma wasn't feeling so good,
Mom packed up some wine and cake
And sent it with Little Red Riding Hood

To Grandma's house, deep in the forest.
Along the path Little Hood met
The hungry Wolf who ultimately
Taught her a lesson she'd never forget.

Having devoured Grandma, and now
Waiting to eat the grandchild as well,
The Wolf couldn't stop thinking about
Gobbling up the little belle.

We all know that Little Hood
Ended up in the Wolf's big belly,
Along with Grandma. It must have been
A place overly cramped and smelly.

A hunter came by and saved the day
By putting an end to the dangerous ****.
Grandma enjoyed her cake and *****;
The Wolf became the hunter's rug.

My favorite moral is as follows:
When Grandma is sick and lying supine,
To help raise her spirits, take her
A little cake and a bottle of wine.

-by Bob B (5-5-20)

(This poem can be sung to the melody of "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens and Eleanor Farjeon.)

Vaccines are working. Evidence proves that.
Let's not be shirking what must be done.
COVID is killing; look all around us.
If folks are willing, we will have won.

If we forsake such efforts to save us,
Our hearts will ache much lest hope survives.
Stalling is fateful; it need not happen.
We should be grateful when we save lives.

Life is uncertain. That's true; however,
Don't close the curtain till the show ends.
Mindful endeavors keep us together;
Thoughtlessness severs family and friends.

Experts can guide us on this long journey,
Walk alongside us, and give us hope--
Hope that tomorrow will bring an end to
Much of our sorrow. That helps us cope.

Vaccines are working. Evidence proves that.
Let's not be shirking what must be done.
COVID is killing; look all around us.
If folks are willing, we will have won.

-by Bob B (10-5-21)

Where were you on 9/11
When the frightening news was reported--
When all over the country airline
Flights had to be aborted?

Was your TV show interrupted
With images on your TV screen--
Images that for many were
The scariest that they'd ever seen?

"At my office." "Driving to work."
"In my class." "At the store."
"Watching the kids." "At the gym."
"Just about to walk out the door."

When we got to a TV set,
We gazed at the screen in disbelief.
Minute by minute each news report
Compounded both our terror and grief.

It was hard to comprehend
The sudden loss of so many lives--
Children, friends and relatives,
Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives.

On that day, life for all of us changed.
Sadly, now there's no going back
To how we lived before that time.
When will there be another attack?

Terrorist threats had long existed.
That's a fact that we can't dispute.
However, we also have to fear
Domestic terrorists to boot.

Also, on a single day
The COVID virus has been the cause
Of more deaths than on 9/11.
That number ought to give us pause.

Since 9/11, twenty years
Have passed, yet threats to our lives don't cease.
Question: Can we preserve our freedoms
And also achieve lasting peace?

-by Bob B (9-11-21)

Poor Trump is trying hard
To cover up his deep dejection.
He's attempting to overturn
The results of the presidential election.

Strange, bizarre conspiracy theories
Perpetuated by the Trumps
Are being spread like wildfire
And talk of massive ballot dumps.

Trump sounds like a mad King George
Or a crazed King Lear, losing his mind.
Any semblance of rational thought
In him is getting harder to find.

Frivolous lawsuits of voter fraud
From Giuliani's bag of tricks
Show that they're throwing whatever they can
At the wall in hopes that something sticks.

Sadly, they are undermining
Democracy with such crazy schemes.
They look even more pathetic
By going to such outrageous extremes.

Americans have voted and now
Await with hope a bright new dawn.
The jig is up. The game is over.
Mr. Trump, it's time to move on.

-by Bob B (12-1-20)

(Clap) One, two, three, four…

Come on, put on your shoes and socks
And traipse on down to the ballot box
If you haven't voted yet.
Do it now before you forget.
Please, however, heed my advice:
Don't be sneaky and try to vote twice.
We know that some voters cast
Second votes for Trump in the past.

Clap your hands and stamp your feet!
Let's all try to stay upbeat!

We are lucky we can vote.
Let's all keep that right afloat.
This election's consequential;
That means that your vote's essential.
Do not fall for someone who
Lies until his face is blue.
How can anybody laud
A liar who screams "Election fraud!"?

Clap your hands and stamp your feet!
Let's all try to stay upbeat!

Voting right means voting smart;
Vote with both your head and heart.
The one to vote for should be clear:
One talks freedom; the other talks fear.
Her I'll gladly get behind.
He is clearly losing his mind.
Let's all hope the winner will be
The one who'll save democracy.

Clap your hands and stamp your feet!
Let's all try to stay upbeat!

-by Bob B (11-4-24)

Although days were dark,
Now they are brighter.
The sun is peeking through the clouds of despair.
The weight of worries
Has become lighter.
At least we're starting to become more aware.
Sometimes it seemed
That time had stood still.
Let's hope all our efforts do not come to naught.
We're moving on;
In the meantime, I will
Be waiting for my COVID booster shot.

We know vaccines
Offer protection.
We can cut down on both sickness and death.
As lives are saved,
See the connection.
Those who worry, stop and take a deep breath.
It's hard to fathom
So much resistance.
Why deny a means that can help us a lot?
With my mask
And a safe social distance,
I'm waiting for my COVID booster shot.

I still have hope
That knowledge can save us--
That we unite with the same motivation.
If we all used
The brain nature gave us,
We could quell the spread of misinformation.
Doing what's right
Shouldn't be hard.
Everybody ought to give that some thought.
I'll do my part
And be on my guard,
While waiting for my COVID booster shot.

-by Bob B (9-27-21)

Cry, beloved country,
For what we fear will come.
A bleak, uncertain future
Leaves us feeling numb.

Weep about the darkness
That's crept into our day
As fear and hate extinguish
The torch that guides our way.

Mourn the loss of judgment
At dark times such as this.
For far too many people,
Ignorance is bliss.

Grieve the loss of hope
That many of us had known.
Despair has now replaced it,
And hearts have turned to stone.

Lament the death of knowledge
That always has been needed
To help ensure that lessons
Of history are heeded.

Bewail the sad misfortune
That empathy's now gone,
While those who deeply suffer
Are treated with a yawn.

Cry, beloved country.
Was ALL of this our fate?
Can we turn the tide,
Or might it be too late?

-by Bob B (11-7-24)

(This poem is based on Poe’s poem “The Bells.”)

I. (Initial rain)

It’s the luscious sound of rain—
Gentle rain.
How it seems to soothe my nerves and calm my weary brain!
How it patters, patters, patters
In the early morning hours!
And we're certain that it matters
That with every drop that splatters
It will feed the hungry flowers
As it falls, falls, falls,
Dripping down the roofs and walls.
Oh, the wonder of the music made so gloriously plain
From the rain, rain, rain, rain,
Rain, rain, rain--
From the gentle pitter-patter of the rain.

II. (Subsequent days of rain)

It's the dreadful sound of rain--
Heavy rain.
How the constant pummeling is driving me insane!
How it beats and beats and beats
On all our windows and our walls!
And the windows now are leaking
And some inside walls are streaking
As the dismal water falls.
And it pelts, pelts, pelts
As my optimism melts,
And my hopes for storms to quickly pass are miserably in vain.
It's the rain, rain, rain, rain,
Rain, rain, rain--
The depressing and distressing sound of rain.

-by Bob B (2-5-24)

COVID-19 is still around us;
Don't think the virus has disappeared.
In fact, what is happening now
Is just what many people had feared.

Numbers are rising in many states.
Many people have lowered their guard.
While some of us are being careful,
The careless ones are making it hard.

Consistent messaging has been
Lacking from our leadership.
And what kind of guidance are
We now getting? Practically zip!

Because the wearing of masks is required
In certain places, people complain
At city council meetings. It makes
You wonder: Can't they use their brain?

As we reopen, we have to consider
A whole new way of thinking. What's more,
We can't--for now, at least--behave
Exactly as we behaved before.

We should watch how other countries
Got the virus under control.
Something here is not working.
Negligence is taking its toll.

As much as we'd like to wish it away,
Facing reality is a must.
It would be especially nice
If we had a president we could trust.

-by Bob B (6-15-20)

The House has released an official report
On Matthew Gaetz, former member.
The special, unwanted Christmas gift
Was given to him this December.

Accused of having obstructed Congress
And violated House rules,
Gaetz apparently thinks that he
Can do no wrong and we are fools.

If you ask some members of Congress
To share the impression that they have had
Of Gaetz since they have gotten to know him,
They would say that he's a cad.

They learned that he paid thousands of dollars
For drug use and also for ***.
Can he deny the evidence?
I wonder if he paid with checks.

That isn't all, of course, for Gaetz's
Shocking list of infractions gets finer:
On top of everything else, he's been
Accused of having *** with a minor.

And this is the guy that Trump had wanted
To be AG! Not surprising,
For Trump would very likely think,
"Oh, he's merely womanizing."

Gaetz admits that he's sent "funds"
To women he has dated. I see.
Whatever he calls it, it sounds as though
He was paying for *** to me.

-by Bob B (12-26-24)

Trump and his First Lady Musk
Are rapidly destroying this nation
While Republicans suffer from
A case of political constipation.

They sit in Congress and watch as Trump
Guts our agencies--one by one.
How much more irreparable
And careless damage is going to be done?

People's lives matter! Really!
But Trump and Elon Musk don't care.
You only matter to them if you
Happen to be a billionaire.

Our allies are being disregarded
And adversaries are being praised.
And still Republicans sit on their butts,
Useless, feckless, fickle, unfazed.

And Trump and Musk are spewing lies.
One would have to be a fool
Not to see how both of them
Favor autocratic rule.

Look at the deals they are making.
It's obvious what they are doing.
They just care about lining their pockets
And couldn't care less whom they are *******.

Spineless, gutless members of Congress,
Do your job. Let them know
That you stand for democracy.
Tell the tyrants where to go!

-by Bob B (2-20-25)

Ah, pancakes, hot off the griddle--
Buttermilk pancakes, oozing with butter
And drowning in gooey maple syrup.
Oh, my goodness! My heart’s all aflutter.

Forget the eggs, bacon, and sausage;
Let the flapjacks fill my plate.
I intend to savor every
Delicious bite to celebrate.

Got blueberries? Get them out.
Stir them into the sumptuous batter.
Serve the cakes for breakfast, lunch,
Or even dinner; it doesn’t matter.

A few carbs, a little sugar…
I don’t care. What the hay?
I’m enjoying a piece of heaven.
Happy National Pancake Day!

-by Bob B (3-4-20)

You'd better mind your p's and q's
And pay attention to the news
Or you'll be stuck forevermore
In a prison in El Salvador.

Trump has made a special deal
With that country, and it's real.
And CECOT° gets Trump's rubber stamp
For being a concentration camp.

Deportees are being--you see--
Sent there quite illegally.
Watch out if you have a tattoo,
For Trump might say good-bye to you,

And off to the prison you'll be flown,
Down there in the torrid zone.
Forget due process; it doesn't exist
For those on Trump's get-rid-of list.

People with even a legal status
Are victims of Trump's apparatus
Of hate and fear and terror and find
Themselves locked up in a real bind.

Once you're there, your rights have ceased.
Most likely, you won't be released.
Even if they admit mistakes,
The government says, Hey, that's the breaks.

Today deportees; tomorrow who knows
Will join the prisoners. That's how it goes
When autocrats are in control
And total power is their goal.

-by Bob B (4-17-25)

°Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Terrorism Confinement Center)

We aren't out of the woods
Regarding the COVID pandemic.
One thing isn't helping:
The anti-vaccine polemic.

Despite our efforts to get
The virus under control,
Dis- and misinformation
Are taking a heavy toll.

If all had worked together
From the very start
To stop the virus from spreading,
Well, THAT would've been smart.

"MY body my choice,"
Some people will say,
As if that's going to make
The virus go away.

By not taking precautions,
The non-vaccinee
Can spread mutated strains
Of the virus to you and me.

Where COVID is spreading fast,
And the number of cases is sizable,
According to the experts,
The wearing of masks is advisable.

Some people think
That wearing a mask is futile.
Don't they realize
That COVID can be brutal?

No, wearing a mask
Isn't fun, but still,
It does offer protection
From something that can ****.

It isn't rocket science.
Listen to the pros.
Get your vaccination,
And cover your mouth and nose.

-by Bob B (7-29-21)

Trump is looking for a showdown,
Repeating his tired and weary refrain:
How to inflame a situation
So he can obtain political gain.

Amping up the ICE raids here
In California: his newest plan.
He wants to show the people that
He's in charge--that he's the MAN.

Equating migrants with evil doers--
A racist and dangerous equation--
He says he's going to "liberate"
L.A. from a "migrant invasion."

He knew that scary raids by ICE--
His cruel, scummy, and constant fixation--
Would anger people, and thugs would take
Advantage of the situation.

He'll say the state can't solve its problems
Of violence. "However, they'll see
That I can fix it by sending in troops.
Everyone, bow down to me."

Protests had been peaceful for months,
But Trump right now is overjoyed.
To see how sick the man has become,
You don't have to be a Sigmund Freud.

Pursuing his political goals--
Let's call this "The Dictator Hour"--
He's shattering norms, one by one,
And bypassing any limits on power.

He's setting California up,
Knowing what would come about.
He loves to start a fire and then
Employ theatrics to put it out.

-by Bob B (6-9-25)

Trump is looking for countries willing
To take more migrants off our hands
And house them in their hell-like prisons
Far away in distant lands.

To send them there without due process
Violates our current laws.
But autocrats, of course, do not
Concern themselves with probable cause.

Due process takes too long,
Says Trump and fellow troglodytes
Who run the country conveniently
Overlooking human rights.

***-kisser Marco Rubio°
Says that we are sending the most
Despicable human beings to prisons.
Once they end up there, they're toast.

If we're sending the most despicable
People away, then it would seem
That we should start with Donald Trump
And his deplorable admin team.

-by Bob B (5-8-25)

° U.S. Secretary of State

So President Biden pardoned Hunter.
Of course, he was attacked--
Especially by the Right that had
To scream and overreact.

"Corrupt!" they called him. They said he had
Abused his power. Oh, no!
Have they forgotten what Trump had done
Just a few years ago?

Consider the REAL crooks that Trump
Pardoned and also set free.
No president has ever been
As corrupt as he.

Some of those he's pardoned are being
Given positions as well
In government, and yet Trump now
Screams to *******.

Trump has also said he will pardon
Insurrectionists, who
To him were merely patriots.
A warped point of view.

But Biden is favoring family,
Some people will say.
Trump did that before and still
Continues to do it today.

He says that Biden has weaponized
The DOJ. Oh, my!
Trump must learn to take the log
Out of his own eye.

His pick for future AG has
A hit list to carry out.
With Trump in his ear, who knows what
Nonsense will come about.

If you're upset with Biden now,
Get over it, and hurry.
After Trump's in office again,
You'll have a bigger worry.

-by Bob B (12-3-24)

DT:
Friends and students, hear my plan
To combat left-wing indoctrination:
I will sign an order demanding
Patriotic education.

Ah, such music to my ears!
I would say it sounds hypnotic:
Ignoring the facts to focus on myths…
That's what I call "patriotic."

There is no white privilege.
I say Whites are the real oppressed.
I want history books to say
That we have always been the best.

The 1619 Project is out.
If faculties don't follow my rules,
They will hear from me, for I'll
Cut off funding to their schools.

Racial inequality
Has no place in history books.
To me it's toxic propaganda.
Can't you see how bad it looks?

The schools have been cheating our kids.
I think current curricula stink.
Teaching blind allegiance is better
Than teaching children how to think.

I want students everywhere
To hear what I call the REAL truth.
And you'll have the privilege of being
Part of the Trump/****** Youth.

-by Bob B (9-18-20)

Does the world bribe you to betray yourself--
To try to make you fit inside a mold?
Does it try to tempt you with complacency--
To dominate you with its stranglehold?

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

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

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

-by Bob B (3-2-22)

Humpty Trumpty,
You have some gall.
Humpty Trumpty,
One day you'll fall.
Fawning supporters
And your business men
Will not put you back
Together again.

Humpty Trumpty,
Your sinecure
You think will last.
Don’t be so sure.
What you are asking
We simply won't do.
We bet they'll all be
Decisions you'll rue.

Humpty Trumpty,
What a con game!
Humpty Trumpty,
Have you no shame?
Stop all this talk of
America first.
Of human beings
You're CLEARLY the worst!

Humpty Trumpty,
You'll hear the call.
With great relief,
We'll watch you fall.
And even your lackeys
Who give you support
Will soon be saying,
"We'll SEE you in court!"

-by Bob B (3-31-25)

Putin's year-long war continues
To batter Ukraine--to ****, to destroy.
The autocrat's reasons for being there
Are definitely a political ploy.

Killing civilians while also attacking
Ukraine's infrastructure as well,
The Russians are bent on total destruction.
Where this will go is hard to foretell.

And Russian sympathizers here
Join in with Putin's sing-a-long.
Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis,
Claims that Putin's done nothing wrong!

Who can tell where DeSantis gets
His false information and mistaken views?
Probably from too many incorrect
Podcasts and also from watching Fox News.

While Russia ramps up its fierce attacks,
Ukraine will fight to the bitter end.
Here's a reminder for those who've forgotten:
Putin, folks, is NOT our friend.

We pledged our support for Ukraine, and so
For the sake of freedom, we MUST follow through.
Condoning Putin's atrocities
Would certainly be the wrong thing to do.

-by Bob B (2-21-23)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

Trump's three stooges--Karoline Leavitt,
Pam Bondi, and Kristi Noem°--
Perform for their almighty leader
And lie until the cows come home.

Listen to them and you will hear
That when the three of them are pressed
To give an answer to journalists' questions,
They'll undoubtedly do their best

To artfully avoid the topic,
And you will hear them bring up the name
Of Joe Biden, their punching bag.
For ALL that's wrong, Biden's to blame.

If they want to keep their jobs,
They have to lie for Trump, of course.
If they told the bitter truth,
Then he'd demand a quick divorce.

Trump and all his admin team
Have been well-trained in hocus pocus.
They have been instructed to always
Deflect, ignore, and shift the focus.

We are watching as day by day
The river of lies continues to widen.
Trump and his team think they'll win points
By telling untruths and screaming "Biden!"

-by Bob A (6-16-25)

°Karoline Leavitt - White House Press Secretary; Pam Bondi - U.S. Attorney General; Kristi Noem - U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

Sometimes it seems that gone are the days
When people valued the wise--
When education wasn't suspect
And something to demonize;

When knowledge, awareness, and understanding
Provided a safety net
And were not frowned upon and thought
To be a dangerous threat;

When facts and the truth were highly regarded
And clarity desired;
When people trusted reason and critical
Thinking was admired.

When people didn't think that foolish
Hearsay was worth believing;
When having an open mind was considered
A goal worth achieving;

When misinformation didn't spread
Like wildfires raging;
When honesty was highly praised,
And virtue was engaging.

But, alas, perhaps I was
Hopelessly deceived
To think that's what the majority
Of people truly believed.

Is there a possibility that
All the things I've listed,
Widespread and across the board,
Never really existed?

-by Bob B (7-8-21)

This poem's the twelve hundredth poem
That I have "published" on my blog.
For me, my poetry collection
Is almost like a travelogue--

A mental travelogue depicting
My thoughts traveling to and fro.
I'm never certain where they'll take me
Next. I just go with the flow.

Today might be a little visit
To a place called "Hypocrisy-land."
There you'll find politicians
Who have gotten out of hand.

Tomorrow might take me to a place
Where I spend a lot of time--
A place where animals can talk
And anecdotes are put to rhyme.

To outer space my mind might travel;
Or out to explore nature's wonders.
Perhaps I'll take a nostalgic trip
Or write about people's triumphs or blunders.

Places, events, and history,
Unknown figures, people of fame,
Likable folks, and miscreants, too:
Any topic becomes fair game.

Eschewing ambiguity
Or language rich in metaphor,
I find that a simple, conversational,
Straightforward style suits me more.

To many poets, poems that rhyme
Are--according to them--passé.
Although it has its limitations,
Rhyming for me is here to stay.

I know that poetry is not
Everybody's cup of tea,
But somehow I can hear it speak
In everything I do or see.

-by Bob B (12-17-21)

Lately we're seeing so much nonsense
Happening in this Trump-ruled-land.
Life gets bleaker every day
As things get wildly out of hand.

--Sean Hannity--
Sean Hannity, speaking out--
Ignoring diplomacy and rules--
Says that Trump should bomb Iran.
One of those Armageddon fools?

--King Trump--
Trump regaled photographers with
His Evita pose with flair
At the Kennedy Center where he'd
Formerly made himself the chair.

--DEI and the Department of Defense--
Navajo code talkers are being
Removed from websites. Want to know why?
Pete Hegseth says the reason
Is all because of DEI.

They'd been key in World War II.
Their roles in the war are being displaced.
Unless we pass as white, straight males,
We are going to be erased.

--Lying Musk--
For buying votes of illegals, the Dems
Spent 200 billion bucks,
According to Musk, who's proving that
Trump and his team are lying schmucks.

--The Voice of Freedom--
The Voice of America is being
Gutted by Trump. If you think
That such a move is wise, then know
That Russia and China are tickled pink.

--Misuse of Authority--
A couple hundred immigrants
Were flown to El Salvador, we've learned.
Trump is using wartime authority
During peacetime, but he's not concerned.

He is showing us that he'll
Defy the courts as much as he can,
Confirming what we already knew:
That he's a defiant, despicable man.

-by Bob B (3-17-25)

Fighting for our freedoms is
A goal within our reach.
That's a major focus when
Michelle gives a speech.°

If she sings your praises, then
That is something each
And everyone should cherish when
Michelle gives a speech.

If YOU embrace important thoughts
That speakers want to teach,
Then you'll appreciate it when
Michelle gives a speech.

Rightly she unmasks the man
The House did twice impeach.
The words are blunt and lucid when
Michelle gives a speech.

She SIMPLY calls it what it is
And doesn't have to preach.
Each word hits the target when
Michelle gives a speech.

Trump's thick barrier of lies
Is what her words can breach.
Everyone should listen when
Michelle gives a speech.

Some folks always rant and rave
And shout and shriek and screech.
However, you won't hear that when
Michelle gives a speech.

If you've never heard her speak,
Then you I do beseech
To take the time to hear her when
Michelle gives a speech.

-by Bob B (10-27-24)

°Referring to Michelle Obama's speech at the Harris rally in Kalamazoo, MI, on 10-26-24

Putin's war drags on and on
Since his forces invaded Ukraine.
For two years now, Russian soldiers
Have followed his orders. Imagine the pain!

Actually, the Russian attack
Dates way back to twenty-fourteen
When Putin stole Ukrainian land.
The current invasion's a bloodier scene.

Life goes on for the rest of the world.
We work; we play; we party; we feast.
Ukrainians are suffering,
But some people don't care in the least.

Extremist Republicans who kiss
The ring of king Trump, do not care
If Ukraine falls, or if the country
Is torn to shreds by the eastern bear.

If Putin is victorious, then
Other countries may fall as well.
People will suffer, and what's more
The Russian brute will be hard to repel.

Pressure on Putin and aid to Ukraine
Are two ways to put an end to the war.
The dictator already has
A great deal to answer for.

-by Bob B (1-31-24)

You think you're healthy and in good shape.
Cholesterol is low.
Blood pressure is not a problem.
You've got some get-up-and-go.

You go on a daily four-mile walk.
You eat as well as you can.
Fruits and vegetables are both
Part of your daily plan.

Yes, you like your sweets; you feel
Life must have some perks.
You try to balance the good with the bad
And always hope that it works.

Avoiding stressful debt, you live
Comfortably in the black.
And then without any warning, what happens?
You have a heart attack!

Life we know is full of surprises.
Expect the unexpected.
It's strange how a problem with one's heart
Could long go undetected.

The help from paramedics and doctors
And nurses--I can say--
Has given me a new lease on life,
For I am alive today.

A stent in a major artery lets
The blood flow near the heart.
I hope that no more blockages
Will show up in my chart.

Although our bodies are strong and resilient,
It is also said
That despite our resiliency,
We hang by the thinnest thread.

I hope my ticker keeps on ticking,
Displacing some of my fears;
And may the beats continue to sound
For many, many years.

-by Bob B (4-2-23)

(For some reason, I found this poem in my DRAFTS. I guess I hadn't "published" it for public eyes, and it sat, along with 25 or so of my other poems, in my DRAFTS folder until today. Sorry about the delay.)

During the final days of his term,
Trump did his best
To overturn election results
Like a man possessed.

Like a man possessed he tried
Everything he could
To point out massive voter fraud--
That folks were up to no good.

Folks were up to no good in choosing
Someone else over him,
He thought, for in his mind he'd figured
That Biden's chances were slim.

That Biden's chances were slim: the thought
Propelled him along,
So if Biden won the election,
Something had to be wrong.

Since SOMETHING had to be wrong, he called
The then acting AG,
And told him to say there'd been corruption,
"And leave the rest to me."

"And leave the rest to me." Uh huh.
Of course, we see a connection:
Ten days later we all witnessed
The Capitol insurrection.

-by Bob B (7-31-21)

Some folks think that God is Love--
A concept that is much revered;
Other people say that he's
An elderly man with a long, white beard.

Some say he is strict and vengeful,
Ready to banish sinners to hell;
Others say he is merciful,
Unless you are an infidel.

There are many people on Earth
Who believe that gods are many;
There are also people on Earth
Who don't believe that there are any.

Many monotheistic people
Firmly believe that God had a son.
They reconcile their one-God view
By saying the TWO are really ONE.

The gods of polytheistic folks
Also have offspring--babies galore.
When you believe in multiple gods,
There is always room for more.

Some folks say God's NOT a he,
But maybe a she or even an it;
And many say you MUST believe
Or end up In a fiery pit.

Some believe that God is Nature,
Which boils down to THAT which IS.
Then should Nature's hand towel be
Marked with "ITS" or "HERS" or "HIS"?

Some believe that God's impatient,
Too demanding, and quick to condemn;
And there are those who truly believe
That God communicates with them.

Those who "talk" to God are not
Necessarily addle-pated;
But those who say God talks to them
Maybe should be medicated.

Some say that their sacred scriptures
Prove their god or gods exist.
Of course, all those writings prove
Nothing to an atheist.

No one knows for sure if God
Is or isn't a human invention.
The best we can do is say God is
Beyond our human comprehension.

-by Bob B (9-13-24)