DJT:
I want to buy Greenland.
Hey, this is fun!
I will turn the island into
State fifty-one.
They say ice is melting.
Bah! That’s okay.
When you mine and drill on the land,
Ice gets in the way.

I am going to buy Greenland.
You just wait and see.
I dare anybody
To say "NO!" to me.
I can’t wait to get my
Hands on all that gold,
Oil, copper, lead, and zinc.
I WON’T be undersold.

I plan to buy Greenland
With all its wolves and seals
And polar bears and penguins.
I’m so good at deals.
Polar bears will make terrific
Rugs. I don't care!
What? You say there are no penguins?
I will bring some there.

So I want to buy Greenland.
Is THAT unorthodox?
It should be so easy;
You know money talks.
Tell me: how could there be
Objections to my plan?
The whole world loves me;
I’m their favorite man.

I am buying Greenland.
I'm sure you've heard reports.
I'll construct my tower AND
I'll build some big resorts.
Greenlanders will love being
Part of my domain.
If anybody loses here,
Their loss will be my gain.

I can’t wait to buy Greenland.
This is not a ruse.
I’ll give them an offer--
One they can’t refuse.
If the Danes say "No," I'll
Do what I've done before:
I'll just have to start another
Blasted tariff war.

I want to buy Greenland,
Greenland,
Greenland….

-by Bob (8-24-19)

Denial gets you nowhere.
When there's a problem, face it.
If it's a major challenge,
Open your mind and embrace it.

The trouble is a problem
Won't go away on its own.
Don't wait until
The flower is overblown.

If a situation
Affects our national security,
Can a solution wait
For some remote futurity?

Bury your head in the sand
If your mind is closed.
But if you do, remember:
Your rear will be exposed.

How to solve a problem
When our leaders drub
Twaddle into our heads?
Ah, that's the rub!

How to get to the bottom
Of what is happening around us
Is problematic when
Efforts are made to confound us.

What is clear to some,
To others is quite blurry.
Suspicions arise when something
Is covered up in a scurry.

To know or not to know?
Is that the question that taunts us?
Why didn't we stop it?
Will be the question that haunts us.

- by Bob B (3-30-17)

(If you don’t know the song from GYPSY, "Everything's Coming Up Roses,” by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, listen to Bette Midler’s version on YouTube. Then try singing this poem to the melody.)

We can all see…
The truth is so clear, people.
It's not just a smear, people.
It's what we should fear. Oh, people,

Like two peas
In a pod
Such a friendship might seem rather odd.
As for us,
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

Business deals
Or *** tapes?
Microphones hidden in drapes?
So bizarre…
We can see,
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin.

They're going strong now.
What could be their desire?
Putin knows how
He'll make the president kowtow.

Will Trump lift
Sanctions soon?
Will both keep on singing in tune?
Just you wait
And you’ll see
Who is whose
Devotee.
It's strange to watch the two talk crook to crook.
People, all roads lead clearly to Putin wherever we look.

They contrive this
Situation at hand.
We'll survive this;
Maybe we'd better archive this.

Putin wants
In Ukraine
To make it part of Russia's domain.
Where this goes,
Who can tell?
Doesn't this
Ring a bell?
'Cause they know every trick that's in the book.
People, all roads will lead us to true Russian meddling;
All roads will lead to the White House’s cover-ups;
All roads lead Trump to just one place without a doubt;
ALL ROADS LEAD CLEARLY TO PUTIN WHEREVER WE LOOK!

-by Bob B (11-19-19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm6Vi7WdK-k

A farmer working in a field
Felt compassion for his horse--
A tired, overworked jade.
He let it go with no remorse.

When villagers discovered that
The farmer's horse had been set free,
They wondered how the man would prosper.
The farmer succinctly said, "We'll see."

Days later the farmer's horse
Returned to the poor man's piece of land,
Bringing along several others,
Eager to give a helping hand.

The villagers heard the wonderful news
And rushed to share the farmer's glee.
"How fortunate you are!" they said.
The farmer merely replied, "We'll see."

The next day the villagers
Watched with ghastly fear in their faces
The son fall while training the horses
And break his leg in numerous places.

Lamenting the farmer's sad misfortune,
They asked how he would ever be
Able to work the land on his own.
The farmer again replied, "We'll see."

Soon a terrible war broke out.
The emperor needed able young men.
Because of his broken leg, the farmer's
Son was excused from duty. Again

The villagers went to the farmer, saying
"Your son escaped the emperor's decree.
How lucky for both of you!" The farmer
Responded by only saying, "We'll see."

Even though the son's leg healed,
The son walked with a definite limp.
Village children viciously teased him,
Calling him a klutz and a gimp.

The villagers came to see the farmer,
Their words of pity staggeringly
Effusive. "Aren't you sad?" they asked.
The farmer smiled and said, "We'll see."

The sons of the villagers died in the war.
The farmer, along with his only son,
Worked the land, grew quite wealthy,
And never complained to anyone.

Once in a while he'd meet his friends
And chat over a cup of tea.
"How lucky you are!" they'd say to him.
He'd shrug his shoulders and say, "We'll see."

- By Bob B (2-21-17)

°An old Chinese tale retold in verse

Do you remember Sandy Hook?
Do you remember when we
Heard about a twenty-year-old
Going on a ****** spree?

December 14: Do you remember
Hearing the news that day?
Twenty children are no longer here
To run and laugh and play.

Ages six and seven they were--
The kids who lost their lives.
Imagine the pain that lingers in every
Loved one who survives.

Six adults at the school that day
Were also brutally shot.
Will we ever find a way
To cut the Gordian knot

Of senseless killing and murderous mayhem,
Or having the fear that when
Our loved ones leave the house, they might
Never come home again?

Millions of Americans cling to a murky
Second Amendment right--
Spurred on by a huge gun lobby
Whose appalling power is tight.

It's bewildering why Sandy Hook
Wasn't the very last straw.
When looking at sensible gun control,
People just hem and haw.

Universal background checks;
Assault weapons bans as well;
No large-capacity magazines…
Must that be such a hard sell?

The focus of many is strictly on
Their "rights" and their pocketbooks
Instead of demanding ways to prevent
Future "Sandy Hooks."

- By Bob B

"Not my president!"
The protesters incant
As they take to the streets.
We hear them loudly chant,

"Not my president!"
In cities nationwide
Their voices all in unison
Become amplified.

"Not my president!"
The marchers hold in disdain
Recent election results.
The ongoing refrain

"Not my president!"
Echoes across the nation,
As demonstrators express
Their cries of protestation.

"Not my president!"
What makes democracy great
Is we have the right to vote
And the right to demonstrate.

(11-10-16)

In contrast with the cold morning air,
The house was cozy and warm
As we all arrived to participate
Like worker bees starting to swarm.
The smell of pork and refried beans
Permeated the room.
The champagne bottles were chilling on ice--
How much did we consume?
Sally brought some egg McMuffins.
I thought, "Something's amiss:
Egg McMuffins and NO pan dulce!°°
What kind of party is this?"

But I wouldn't miss it--nope--for nada:
The annual Alonzo family tamalada.

The giant bucket of masa°°° awaited
Marisa's kneading hands.
While she kneaded the dough, the rest of us
Listened for Sally's commands.
After a brief champagne toast,
Our assembly line started.
Everyone had a job to do;
It wasn't for the faint-hearted.
Spreading the masa on the husks
Was a messy task.
I wondered, "How many will we make?"
But I was afraid to ask.

It wasn't very long before
Everyone in the casa
Was practically covered from head to foot
With fluffy tamale masa.
We spread and stuffed and folded and wrapped
While Sally entertained us.
The conversation, laughter, fun,
And champagne all sustained us.
The wonderful smells of lunch also
Encouraged us to work hard
Lest we be known as shirkers and our
Reputations be marred.

But I wouldn't miss it--nope--for nada:
The annual Alonzo family tamalada

After a few hundred tamales,
The masa was getting low.
I said, "Yay! We're almost done!"
But Alice said, "Oh, no.
That was just the pork; now we're
Making chile and cheese."
Blurry-eyed I held up my spoon
And said, "More hojas,°°°° please."
On and on we continued to work
Like hive bees making honey.
But it was worth it, for these tamales
Are more valuable than money.

Alice, Yvonne, Kathy, Yolie,
Aida, and Sally know why--
As do Marisa, Rebecca, Karen,
Marisol, Nancy, and I--
We always look forward to getting together
For laughter, fun, and cheer
And this spirited, heart-warming gathering
Whenever December is here.
Homemade tamales can't be beat
When made in our special fashion
With love, care, conviviality,
Warmth, goodwill and passion.

I wouldn't miss it--nope--for nada:
The annual Alonzo family tamalada.

__
°tamale-making party
°°Mexican sweet bread
°°°dough
°°°°(corn husk) leaves

- by Bob B

Holiday cheer and hustle and bustle
From Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.
Running somewhat on autopilot…
Sometimes longing to get away…
Embracing the spirit of the holiday season,
I hoped good tidings would stifle bad news.
But now that Christmas is over, I am
Stuck with the after-Christmas blues.

Days have been for the most part sunny;
Winters are mild in southern Cal.
Holiday baking would have to be fruitful:
Cookies and candy would boost my morale.
The holiday sweets have all disappeared now.
I didn't gain and I didn't lose.
Fugacious pleasures have left, and now I'm
Feeling the after-Christmas blues.

Caught up in the holiday spirit,
For a brief moment I thought there would be
And end to lies, injustice, and hate…
An end to all this insanity.
But no, decorations merely
Hide the truths that we can't excuse,
And once again we hear the sounds
That linger: the after-Christmas blues.

Ah, but all things must pass, no?
That is what I find myself saying.
People will open their eyes and they
Will see what the deeper truths are conveying.
Change will come, so let's be hopeful.
Let us all together refuse
To be downhearted. Then we can say
Goodbye to the after-Christmas blues.

-by Bob B (12-30-18)

(The poem can be sung to the melody of Gilbert and Sullivan's song "A Policeman's Lot Is Not a Happy One.")

When a president's completely off his rocker
--Off his rocker--
And has no sense of how to right his wrongs,
--Right his wrongs--
The fact that people like him is a shocker,
--Is a shocker--
For they should know he's not where he belongs
--He belongs.
A leader should be honest and insightful
--'Nest insightful--
And not behave as though he is a kid.
--Is a kid--
But when he is delusional and spiteful--
--'Nal and spiteful--
We know that he's completely flipped his lid--
--Flipped his lid.

When a president behaves worse than a kid,
--Than a kid--
We know that he's completely flipped his lid
--Flipped his lid.

When a leader feels that global warming's silly--
--Warming's silly--
And even wants to nuke a hurricane,
--Hurricane--
And everything he does is *****-nilly,
--*****-nilly--
One questions what's going on inside his brain
--'Nside his brain.
When everything he says is senseless chatter--
--Senseless chatter--
And his super ego's vanquished by his id--
--By his id--
People wonder what the hell's the matter,
--Hell's the matter--
For certainly the man has flipped his lid
--Flipped his lid.

When a president behaves worse than a kid
--Than a kid--
We know that he's completely flipped his lid
--Flipped his lid.

-by Bob B (8-27-19)

In the western highlands of Guatemala
Living conditions are turning sour
As people face adversity,
Day by day, hour by hour.

Climate change is taking a toll
On the lives of many, especially the poor.
When asked why they're fleeing, they say,
"Food doesn't grow here anymore."

The growth of many of their children is stunted;
Children are dying of malnutrition.
The parents want what all people want
Who find themselves in their position:

They want to leave, to find a place
Where their children can survive--
Where life is not an overwhelming
Challenge of trying to stay alive.

They know the journey north is hard;
Some have died along the way.
What are their options? To take a chance?
One thing's certain: they die if they stay.

Our government threatens to cut off aid
Which would only make matters worse.
That will not stop desperate people
From fleeing; it will do the reverse.

Hear the cries from Guatemala.
Don't close your eyes or cover your ears.
A ghostly lament will echo along
The banks of a dried up river of tears.

-by Bob B (6-7-19)

°Based on a report by Nicholas Kristof

Regarding the Trump administration...

Trump says his administration
Runs just like a "fine-tuned machine."
He's got to be kidding! This is the most
Dysfunctional one we've ever seen!
Yikes!

Regarding General Flynn…

Regarding Flynn's resignation,
Trump refuses to give up the fight.
He says that Flynn did nothing wrong;
"If anything, he did something right."
Yikes!

Regarding the Electoral College…

Trump insists that since Ronald Reagan,
He received the most votes.
Bush one, Bill Clinton, and Obama got more.
Who the heck is writing his notes?
Yikes!

Regarding the media…

Trump's still calling the questioning press
Dishonest, and he cannot understand
Why there's so much negativity.
He lives in a definite fantasy land!
Yikes!

Regarding TV…

Trump considers "Fox & Friends"
The most "honest morning show."
That is downright scary to hear.
Fatuity's reached a new plateau.
Yikes!

Regarding bigotry and respect…**

Trump says he's the least racist
Person that you'll ever see.
And last fall he said that no one
Respects women more than he!
Yikes!

- by Bob B (2-16-17)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-17-18)

Can you imagine being on a ship
And being tossed to and fro,
With blustery winds of uncertainty threatening
To toss you into the depths below?

The waves of contempt bash against
What was once a sturdy bow.
The only thought that runs through your mind
Is "I have to survive, but HOW?"

Pelted by the freezing rain,
You and your fellow travelers on board
Clutch one another and ask yourselves,
"Why were earlier warnings ignored?"

The captain's chilling words still haunt you:
"I give commands; you will heed them!"
During the journey he let loose the lifeboats,
Screaming madly, "We won't need them!"

Running in circles, the captain's crew--
Inexperienced and unprepared--
Go through the motions of helping the travelers
And try to hide the fact that they're scared.

Icebergs rise and fall in the distance;
Alarm signals are flashing red.
"Never mind!" the captain shouts.
"**** the icebergs! Full speed ahead!"

Ignoring advice, the captain defies
The waves threatening to overwhelm
The ship. Yes, pity the travelers
When there's a madman at the helm.

- by Bob B (2-4-17)

Another death on our southern border--
THIS time an eight-year-old child.
You'd have to be an unsympathetic
And cold-hearted person not to be riled.

Little Felipe Gómez Alonzo
Died near the border on Christmas Eve.
The Guatemalan child's death
Leaves another family bereaved.

Representative Peter King
In an interview brushed aside
The pain and seriousness and said
ONLY TWO children have died.

ONLY TWO? And why? Because
The Trump admin is changing the ways
Asylum seekers apply for refuge
With obstacles and major delays.

Closing the ports of entry and making
Families find alternate routes
Through dangerous areas to plead their cases
Has shocked the world and raised many doubts.

Trump and his staff are experts at how to
Manipulate his base with lies--
To turn the public against the very
People they dehumanize.

The Grand Deceiver claims a wall
Will solve our system of immigration.
Though ludicrous, the wall, he says,
Will be our only hope of salvation.

He lashes out through foolish tweets,
Childish tantrums, and angry threats,
Blasting dissenters and passing blame
Without compunction, with no regrets.

Asylum seekers who've brought their children…
Did they ever anticipate
That they'd flee death to find it here
In a sad, ironic twist of fate.

-by Bob B (12-29-18)

When Nancy smiled, the world smiled.
There is naught that can erase
Her smile that's etched into my heart--
A smile that brightly lit up her face.

Think of a lustrous beam of light
That blissfully penetrates
A pitch-black night or darkest gloom--
That rapturously radiates.

Such a beam was Nancy's charm;
Such a beam was Nancy's smile.
How I envy her effortless laugh,
Her quick wit, her perky style!

Three daughters left behind
Inherited their mother's charming
Traits: her wit, her zest for life,
Her smile so radiant and disarming.

More than once Nancy faced
Close calls but vanquished death.
While paying one more visit, the thief
Absconded with her final breath.

I hope that when my end draws near,
I can be as calm, as brave.
I hope that I can take with me
Her beautiful smile to my grave.

-by Bob B (3-8-19)

The Minnesota night was cold;
Ask the man on the street:
It was so cold your words would freeze,
Drop, and break at your feet.
That didn't stop the Jensens at all--
Is that so hard to believe?--
From hosting their annual family feast
That frigid Christmas Eve.

One by one the families poured in
Bearing gifts and food.
Onkel Karl and Tante Inge
Arrived with their brood.
Onkel Jakob and Tante Hilde
And their three kids…Oh, dear!
If I listed all of the relatives,
It would take a year.

Of beer and wine and all kinds of spirits,
Of course, there were a LOT there.
Cousins Arne and Jan were already
Snockered when they got there.
Maybe that explains in part
The reason for the fight
That put a damper on the mood
On such a festive night.

The families had all sat down to dinner
And gazed upon the spread:
Potato dumplings, salads, sausage,
And cabbage, white and red.
Arne, staring at the roasted pig
With a look distant and glazy,
Made a funny joke about
Republicans being crazy.

All at once, the room grew quiet;
Nobody made a sound.
Everybody looked at Jan,
Who glared at Arne and frowned.
To change the mood, Pastor Olsen
Said, "Let's all say grace.
"?Just as he started, Arne got
A lutefisk in the face.

The roasted pig, the salads and lefse
Landed on the floor
As Arne and Jan pounded each other,
And wrestled, kicked, and swore.
The two were covered from head to foot
With gravy, potatoes, and fish.
The last straw was when they broke Grandma’s
Favorite rosemaled dish.

Suddenly, everybody heard
The sharpest, loudest BANG!
Followed by an echo.
Au! How their ears rang!
Grandma Liv was standing there
With a rifle in her hand.
No one was going to argue with her;
She was in command.

Above her was a hole in the ceiling;
Plaster speckled her hair.
The huge room was a total mess--
Food was everywhere.
"Scrape up what you can," she ordered.
"We're going to try this again.
Arne and Jan, just one word
And you two are dead men."

(Luckily there was no one upstairs
Above the dining room,
Though Onkel Odd was across the hall
When he heard the boom.
He was--and who wouldn't be--
So startled by the shot,
That the poor man jumped two feet in the air
And fell right off the ***.)

With dinner salvaged and the table reset,
Again they sat down to dine.
Grandma Liv sternly said,
"Now, family of mine:
Let's enjoy this Christmas feast.
Show me you are able
To have a pleasant evening and keep
Politics away from the table."

Having said that, she smiled and placed
Her rifle in her lap.
Not a soul dared to test her
For fear that she would snap.
Arne and Jan, battered and bruised,
Silently sipped their soup,
To Jan, Grandma said, "Din idiot!"
To Arne, "Nincompoop!"

The hole in the ceiling will remain
As a warning--or constant threat--
Of possible consequences lest
Anybody forget
That political talk at the dinner table
Was something they must nix,
For sausages, pig, lefse, *****,
And politics do not mix.

- by Bob B

Feeling empowered by president-elect
Trump, racist groups are emerging,
While in the past couple weeks
The number of hate crimes has been surging.

Over the past weekend a group
Celebrated the recent election
With Richard Spencer giving a speech
That shows the group's true complexion.

Spencer, current leader of
The National Policy Institute,
Ended his speech with "Hail, Trump!"
While listeners gave the **** salute.

The speech, referring to a "great struggle"
Of the white race--"people of the sun"--
Was full of white ethnocentric
Jargon, boldly and hatefully spun.

Sounding like ****** in MEIN KAMPF,
Spencer is one who advocates
Ethnic cleansing all across
Europe and the United States.

Groups once on the fringe now feel
That Trump and Steve Bannon provide
A platform for them to spread their hate
And bigotry nationwide.

Unless Trump speaks out and condemns
Hate groups using his name to spread
Their racist messages, then this country
Faces scary times ahead.

- by Bob B (11-22-16)

Ex-KGB agent
Vladimir Putin knows a great deal
About spying and gathering info
And making a person talk--or squeal.

The FBI, CIA,
And NSA have found a connection
Between Putin and a campaign
To alter the results of our election.

To denigrate Hillary Clinton
Was one of the hackers' primary goals.
By hacking into email accounts
And--with the help of Internet trolls--

Amplifying false reports,
Putin's hackers aimed to block
Clinton's chances of being president.
That they did it is no shock.

At altering Russia's election results,
Putin's expertise is shining.
Anyone who criticizes
The tyrant is worth undermining.

Consequently, Clinton became
The target of Putin's wrath.
A little manipulation and we
Are now seeing the aftermath.

Trump, instead of feeling outrage,
Was really more concerned about who's
Responsible for having leaked
Some of the info to NBC News!

The fact that Russia tampered with
Our election doesn't faze him.
What interests him is vengeance against
Anyone who doesn't praise him.

- by Bob B (1-7-16)

I tell you it's hard to live with a man
Who's always so preoccupied
With making other people happy,
Especially at Yuletide.

Time and again I've asked why he
Prefers to live in this frigid zone.
And then he works each Christmas Eve
While I have to stay home alone!

I mean, why this bias of Christmas
With winter and snow year after year
When it's nice and steamy on Earth's
Beautiful southern hemisphere?

Don't get me wrong: I don't begrudge
His eleemosynary devotion
To making other people happy.
That's a kind and generous notion.

But his thoughts are always on
"The kids," and so, I feel neglected.
And yet I always put on the front
Of being cheerful, cool and collected.

Another thing I must admit:
It's hard for a wife whose hubby enjoys
An overwhelming fascination
Or infatuation with all his toys!

You might think the man is cute;
However, I am less enthralled.
He suffers from puer aeternus.
At least that's what I think it's called.

I tell him, "Dear, I understand
Your thoughtful desire to do good deeds,
But maybe you are overdoing it.
Don't forget: wives have needs."

I sometimes think the worst might happen
Whenever my spirits start to sink.
I have to muster up inner strength
To stop myself from taking to drink.

I'd love to be able to find a place
Where we could spend some time by ourselves.
It isn't easy to live with a man
Who spends all his time with reindeer and elves.

Oh, well…I guess it's true:
Every marriage has its flaws.
But try to imagine what it's like
To be Mrs. Santa Claus.

-by Bob B (12-25-18)

Once there was a nation, which
Boasted of its wealth and size.
In that nation lies became truth,
And truth became known as lies.

Thus, the country corroborated
An expert's wise and salient prediction
That soon the people everywhere
Wouldn't know fact from fiction.

"Science is irrelevant,"
The leaders of the land decreed.
"Clamp down on critical thinking
And we'll maintain control indeed."

The people became MORE baffled,
MORE confused, MORE perplexed,
And wondered what kind of craziness
They were going to encounter next.

The art of political doublespeak
Was praised, encouraged and expanded.
If you called it gobbledygook,
You were severely reprimanded.

Reporters who sought facts were called
"Purveyors of mendacity,"
While those who were irrational
Were "pillars of veracity."

The general rule was answer a question
With a question, or try to deflect
Any queries toward dead ends.
The tactic was called "Misdirect."

The leader was an expert at
Duplicity and subterfuge.
Ruling without intelligence
Can work when a person's ego is HUGE.

Sad it was to see such a land
Change from what it once had been.
Not until people opened their eyes
Would things improve. Not until then.

- by Bob B (3-21-17)

As Putin pulls the puppet strings,
The marionettes all dance.
If the strings are hard to see,
Take another glance.

The marionettes think they are
Real people now.
They think their voices are their own.
They smile and take a bow.

But towering above them there,
The puppeteer controls
The actions of his little friends
And figures out their roles.

So in control of the strings in Russia,
Putin makes it clear:
Show resistance to him and you will
Die or disappear.

Heads of state and businessmen
In countries large and small,
Romp around on Putin's stage.
How he loves them all!

Do they know their puppeteer
Would just as soon combat them?
Don't they see that Putin's laughing
Not WITH or FOR but AT them?

-by Bob B (5-25-17)

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (9-30-18)

The Masters of Illusion perform
Before your very eyes.
Their clever tricks will astound you--
Watch for each surprise.

Their skillful tactics mesmerize
And seem to entertain.
Caught off guard, you overlook
Their verbal legerdemain.

Artists in deception, they
Require a double take.
Upon scrutinizing them,
You see that they are fake.

They love to pull something out of a hat.
Notice as they grab it:
Hey! A corporate tax loophole!
That is NOT a rabbit!

When caught in their own traps they can
Mysteriously disappear
And suddenly show up again
When the coast is clear.

Cutting things in half occurs
Before the curtain call.
You hardly notice that they're robbing
Peter to pay Paul.

There's always something up their sleeve--
Sort of a bait and switch.
A promise might end up being
Tax cuts for the rich.

Be careful when they smile and say
They want to be your friend.
That's just a ploy; you'll see that
They'll ***** you in the end.

Once they pull out their deck of cards,
You see that they've embarked
On a new, crafty deceptive path.
(Their cards are usually marked.)

They never fail to beguile and amaze--
These Masters of Illusion.
Just know you're always being duped;
But that's a foregone conclusion.

- by Bob B

Gaslighting: creating a false
Narrative in order to make
People question reality--
To change what's true into what's fake.

Trump, for example, has perfected
The art of gaslighting to a T
When he wants us to believe
That what's really there is NOT what we see.

Take January 6,
The day of the Capitol insurrection,
When thugs violently rejected
The results of the 2020 election.

Trump and his supporters are saying,
Oh, it really wasn't that bad.
It was merely some patriots
Expressing themselves because they were mad.

Or look at all the lies being spread
That our elections are not reliable.
Faulty machines…election fraud…
All of that is unjustifiable.

Gaslighters deny wrongdoing
And love the tactic of shifting the blame.
Immigrants are responsible for
Spreading COVID, gaslighters claim.

Lying, distracting: those are their tactics.
Erasing the past is their major goal.
They'll wear us down with their lies and do
Whatever they can to stay in control.

-by Bob B (10-8-21)

Languages constantly change.
English has, and how!
If not, we would still
Be saying "thee" and "thou."

Sometimes advertising
And the media create a shift
In the way we use certain words
That's annoying. Get my drift?

Businesses, for example,
Have a "free gift" for you.
You think, "A free gift--oh, boy!"
?I like getting gifts, too.

But think about it a moment:
Aren't gifts ALWAYS free?
So "Come in for your free gift"
Is a redundancy.

We hear that someone "went missing,"
Which to me sounds weird.
The expression sounds so clunky.
What's wrong with "disappeared"?

To say "to graduate high school"
Actually makes no sense.
(The number of people who say that
Has grown rather immense.)

Schools graduate students.
How hard does that sound?
We graduate from college--
Not the other way around.

And then there's "close proximity."
That's redundant because
"Proximity" itself means "closeness."
We should all know that it does.

So "close proximity" means
"Close closeness," though you might
Say, "That's what I meant."
I would respond, "Yeah, right."

Language changes aren't
Evil or reprehensible.
Grammarians just wonder why
The changes aren't more sensible.

- by Bob B

On the first day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
An alternate reality.

On the second day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Two NDAs and an alternate reality.

On the third day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the fourth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the fifth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality

On the sixth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the seventh day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the eighth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Eight super spreaders, seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the ninth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Nine COVID cases, eight super spreaders, seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the tenth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Ten crooked pardons, nine COVID cases, eight super spreaders, seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the eleventh day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Eleven lawyers losing, ten crooked pardons, nine COVID cases, eight super spreaders, seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

On the twelfth day of Christmas the White House gave to me:
Twelve new indictments, eleven lawyers losing, ten crooked pardons, nine COVID cases, eight super spreaders, seven Russians hacking, six childish tantrums, five hundred lies, four racist thugs, three Trump steaks, two NDAs, and an alternate reality.

-by Bob B (12-18-20)

Ghosts often haunt us--
Ghosts of the past--
Bearing down upon us
Like a winter blast,

Or steadily prodding us
As a constant threat
To see if our response is
Insouciance or regret.

Lurking around a corner,
They're there lying in wait
To test our ability
To circumnavigate.

Appearing out of nowhere
When we least expect them,
They dare us to try
To avoid or reject them.

Though we thought that they
Were buried long ago,
Their recurring visits
Cause more grief and woe.

Sometimes causing panic,
Sometimes causing dread,
They reappear as though
They've come back from the dead.

They take away our breath
Or chill us to the bone
Whether we're in public
Or at home alone.

Sometimes in a nightmare
Or in a crazy dream
We recognize their presence
With a stifled scream.

Running makes no difference.
They're always close behind us,
Or even up ahead;
Somehow they will find us.

Once we stop running
And stand in one place
And grab each phantom
And stare it in the face,

Then and only then
The ghosts disappear,
And we regain our power
And conquer our deep fear.

- by Bob B (12-19-16)

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-12-18)

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

"****! She's calling me again.
Doesn't she know I'm not in the mood?
If I have to go to her,
It had better involve some food.

"Not that same old brand again!
What if I merely walk away?
Will she get the point of what
I am trying to convey?

"No, my tactic isn't working.
That's no way to treat a cat!
Don't forget that we felines
Created the art of *** for tat.

"Clothes just out of the dryer--
A perfect place to curl up
Until she rudely disturbs my slumber
And yells out, 'No, no, Buttercup!'

" 'Buttercup.' What a name!
I would rather my name be
Nefertiti or Cleopatra.
But 'Buttercup' she stuck on me.

"Oh, well, I get even.
When guests come, I just hide.
They will meet me on MY terms.
After all, I've got my pride.

"Once she gave me a catnip toy
Then took it away. Don't know why.
She probably realized
That catnip sort of made me high.

"Yesterday she yelled at me.
I broke her favorite figurine.
I thought it was for me to play with.
Talk about a crazy scene!

"Today I'd better walk on eggshells;
I'll have to mind my p's and q's.
I need to find a place where I
Can lie undisturbed and snooze.

"She thinks I'll protect her from
Little critters. She's so trusting.
But I won't go near a rat.
They're so utterly disgusting!

"Maybe I'd better stop complaining,
Although it's part of my nature to grouse.
If she isn't TOO annoying,
I will let her stay in my house."

- by Bob B (3-20-17)

She sits on the cliff high above us
And combs her soft flaxen hair.
Too many heed not the warnings
That urge us all to beware.

Her golden demeanor’s bewitching,
Her true intentions disguised.
Her radiance dazzles the viewer.
Onlookers stare, mesmerized.

Mellifluous sounds fill the canyons
And fill the heart with desire.
The Lorelei leaves you defenseless;
Nothing can put out the fire.

Vigilance dissipates quickly.
The sailor far too late learns
That carelessness leads to disaster.
The river has dangerous turns.

Sailors, beware of distractions.
Watch out for dangers that loom.
Don't be beguiled by enticements
That beckon you to your doom.

-by Bob B (7-26-19)

Praise to the sagacious masters
Who tapped into the light
Of ineffable, infinite wisdom
That penetrates the night.
 
Praise to wondrous ones
Who sought neither glory nor fame--
Who opened their hearts to humanity
And remained unfazed by acclaim.
 
Those whose approach to life
Was guided by truth--we applaud them.
May our gratitude deepen
As we gratefully laud them.
 
Surely their noble dreams
Have relevance for today.
Their incomparable wisdom
Casts its light on the Way.
 
If we come to realize
The limitations of the ages
In which the wise ones lived--
As reflected on history's pages--
 
Then the truths of their words
That connect the present to the past
Will not get lost in the details
And fail to endure--to last.
 
With hearts of understanding--
In a manner of speaking--
Let's follow the great wise masters
In a spirit of constant seeking.

- by Bob B

Tenacious! That is a word that describes you.
Ambitious, determined to succeed.
Willing to offer a helping hand
To anybody who is in need.

But be aware: you must determine
What people's needs really are.
Otherwise, your deeds are duds
And despite your efforts, you won't get far.

Wounded pride is harder for you
Than suffering from a broken heart.
And being wrong and being laughed at
Are two things that tear you apart.

You're a natural entertainer--
Sociable, with a good attitude.
You also have a tendency
To become addicted to very rich food.

You help others believe in themselves.
You also inspire the affection of friends.
Confirming your individuality
Can be a good thing; but that depends:

If you turn your ego inward,
You'll make a sudden turnabout.
Then you'll become stubborn and lazy
And try to take the easy way out.

You'll tend to want to have the last word,
To exaggerate, to overreact.
You'll make a mountain out of a molehill
And cause distress from a loss of tact.

Calling attention to yourself,
You will feast on flattery and praise.
So know who you are, and constantly seek
To improve yourself in multiple ways.

Discipline your enthusiasm.
Let your charming nature shine.
Involve yourself, but learn restraint;
Know where to draw the line.

Be a leader--an everyday hero.
Take criticism well.
Enjoy life and all its pleasures,
But heed the inner warning bell.

The Leo person is said to have
A powerful personality
And is very good at turning
Ideas into reality.

So in a nutshell, that's our Leo,
Depending on many factors, of course:
Planets, houses, and rising signs.
The Leo can be a tour de force.

-By Bob B

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (11-15-18)

Trump's recent nominee--
Jefferson Beauregard Sessions--
Has been confirmed by the Senate,
Despite the man's horrid impressions.

Rejected in 1986
To serve as a federal judge for being
Racist, Sessions is now AG!°
It's hard to believe what we are seeing.

Having been a loyal promoter
Of Trump's agenda all along,
Sessions is now in a perfect position
To add more verses to Trump's song.

Good-by to police accountability;
Good-by to voting rights as well.
Compassionate immigration reform
Will probably be shot to hell.

LGBT rights and protections
Will also continue to dwindle away,
For Sessions' reputation leans
Toward being anti-gay.

His strong stance against civil
And equal rights is revealing.
It will be sad to watch America
Deepen wounds that should be healing.

by Bob B (2-9-17)

°Attorney General

Do you know SESQUIPEDALIAN words?
They’re words that are a “foot and a half long.”
But you must be careful when you say them
Or they’re likely to come out totally wrong.
 
Many long words are very manageable,
Like PARSIMONIOUS or PUSILLANIMOUS.
And you probably won’t trip over words
Like XENOPHOBIA or MAGNANIMOUS.
 
But there are words that are even longer—
Word that you’ll seldom find in use.
(Don’t use the words as a pick-up line, guys,
Or the ladies will think you have a ***** loose!)
 
To categorize something as worthless,
A certain word can cause a sensation:
Try, for example, the slick word FLOC-
CINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION.°
 
Another word you could use is HIPPO-
POTOMONSTROSESQUIPEDALIAN.°°
It also pertains to very long words;
But if you use it, you’ll sound like an alien.
 
Wow! These words are rather long;
But longer words do exist.
I found the following German word,
And when I saw it, I couldn’t resist:
 
GRUNDSTÜCKSVERKEHRSGENEHMIGUNGS-
ZUSTÄNDIGKEITSÜBERTRAG­UNGSVERORDNUNG
 
Now THAT’s a long word if I’ve ever seen one!
I know people who’d have a hard time with it.
It’s SO long that I’d find it a challenge
To encounter a word that I could rhyme with it.
 
So SESQUIPEDALIAN words might be handy
To help you win “Jeopardy” or some other game.
But if you’re not careful to use them wisely,
Instead of praise, they might bring you shame.

 
°(FLAHK-si-NAW-si-NY-hil-i-PIL-i-fi-KAY-shun)
°°(HIP-uh-PAH-to­h-MAHN-stroh-SES-kwi-pi-DAY-lee-un)

- Bob B

Okay, now they're at it again!
Yep, and they aren't fooling.
Trump and some Republican friends
Are in support of a ruling

To take away the health care from
Twenty-one million souls.
Destroying the ACA° has been
One of their loathsome goals.

Do you have a pre-existing
Condition? If that's true,
Finding affordable health care is
Going to be hard to do.

Dependents under twenty-six
Who up to this point can
Be covered on your policy will
Be kicked off your plan.

Are you perhaps on Medicare?
Well, congratulations!
You are going to have to pay
More for medications!

To roll back Medicaid expansion
In thirty-seven states
Means that millions of people are going
To be in desperate straits.

Did you hear that Trump has said--
Such hypocrisy!--
The real party of health care is going
To be the GOP?

He claims he loves America.
It really seems as if
Republicans don't care that he
Is leading them over a cliff.

-by Bob B (3-27-19)

°Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

Don’t worry, people;
So far it’s not a threat
To human beings; I mean,
It hasn’t attacked us YET.
 
You think that we have problems?
Ants have problems, too.
For us, bacteria and viruses
Seem to come out of the blue.
 
In Brazil a zombie ant fungus
Affects carpenter ants.
When the hosts are infected,
They climb up nearby plants,
 
Leaving their homes and colonies.
It’s hard to understand why,
But they clutch onto the leaves
And hang there waiting to die.
 
After their death a stalk
Grows from their body, and so
Spores from that fungus
Infect the ants down below.
 
The cycle then continues.
Don’t you wonder whether
The ants could figure it out?—
Put 2 and 2 together?
 
When ants are hanging from leaves,
The other ones shouldn't neglect them.
Their failure to address the matter
Will fatally affect them.
 
For all of us creatures on earth,
When everything seems A-OK,
Nature seems to manage
To throw a curve ball our way.
 
We have our own worries—
Both natural and man-made
Issues that we should confront,
And not ignore or evade.

- by Bob B

A finger pointing at the moon:
Such are the Teachings, they say.
The Writings themselves are not the Truth;
They merely point the way.

Direct experience leads us to
The gateway of the inspired.
Yet trying to describe the ineffable with words
Leaves MUCH to be desired.

Journeying through life we encounter distractions,
Which in their clever fashion
Can obfuscate the clarity
Of the heart of true compassion

Or lead us down a confusing path
Where knowledge and wisdom are blurred,
And the hopes of our transcending the mundane
Are stifled by a word.

Seeking the Truth is a noble goal;
Awareness comes never too soon.
Just be careful not to mistake
The finger for the moon.

- by Bob B

Let's be real. It's fine to be
Skeptical when others say
"God has given this land to us."
The appropriate response: "No way!"

One group says, "This land is ours!"
Another counters: "That's not true.
We believe it was given to us!"
And then fighting breaks out anew.

Using the scriptures to justify
The occupation of others' lands
Provides a shaky argument
And unsubstantiated demands.

When we ignore the allegorical
Nature of all religion, we lose.
So much death and destruction occur
When myths influence political views.

In truth, there is no Promised Land;
No one is a chosen one.
There is only the voice of reason.
Listen, and let its will be done.

-by Bob B (11-14-23)

You tend to be independent.
Whenever people try to pin
You down, they meet resistance, for
Your motto is: Don't fence me in.

Life must constantly stimulate
Your intellectual curiosity.
A non-challenging situation
Causes you to lose velocity.

You love to learn things on your own
And when you travel, you're at your best.
But don't push yourself too hard;
Give your body and mind a rest.

Going overboard can be
A problem since you're such a go-getter.
You have to learn the hard way at times
That MORE is not always better.

You can be talkative
And sometimes overly loquacious.
You like to give your honest opinion,
But using tact proves efficacious.

Prudence for some Sagittarians
Is a difficult trait to acquire,
And some resort to miserliness
When their good intentions misfire.

Gregarious and enthusiastic,
You love others for what they are.
When it comes to working with people,
You know how to set the bar.

You seek higher spiritual growth,
Advanced achievements, greater prosperity,
And higher aesthetic appreciation;
You don't do well with austerity.

Do not let restlessness
And carelessness overtake you.
Becoming too spiritual
And out of touch could possibly break you.

Maximum enjoyment from
Good things in life is one of your goals.
Being the great adventurer
Can also be one of your roles.

Since you are a natural gambler,
Show restraint with cards and dice.
Tending to be extravagant,
You'll often have to pay the price.

You're at home in many places,
Since you easily adapt to change.
When your enthusiasm is stifled
Is when you feel awkward and strange.

Always ready for a challenge,
You face life with arms open wide.
Just be careful: other people
Can't always keep up with your stride.

- by Bob B

Fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes--
Nature can be quite…demanding.
We're just a speck in the grand scheme;
At least that's my understanding.

Our relationship with nature
Should be one of respect and awe.
But in the guise of progress we've found
That mankind has a fatal flaw:

Our love affair with material things.
You wonder: That can't hurt, can it?
Ah, but just think about
Unlimited growth on a finite planet.

From caves to computers, we've come a long way.
But some resources are irreplaceable.
When they're depleted, their loss will leave
A mark behind that's unerasable.

Population times consumption--
It's really just a simple equation--
Equals environmental impact
And NOT merely on occasion.

Constant growth of both the economy
And population smacks of futility
And gives our world a recipe for
A bleak unsustainability.

As we add to our atmosphere
Carbon dioxide and methane gas
And destroy what it takes to sustain us,
Who knows what will come to pass?

Our world is such an incredible place!
I hate being the prophet of doom,
But let's not ignore reality:
There's only so much for us to consume.

Reasonable consumption now:
Is there such a thing as that?
If so, let's investigate
Our options. Jumping Jehoshaphat!

Avoiding economic collapse
While putting less stress on things
And controlling population growth
Perhaps could soften the future's zings.

Think about our children’s future.
Think what we’re doing? Think what we’ve done?
Why would we turn this beautiful planet
Into an uninhabitable one?

- by Bob B

A word that describes you is "practical."
Before doing anything, you want to know
Whether it has a definite purpose.
If it doesn't, it's a no-go.

Before taking action, you must determine
What advantages will be gained.
If you lose your concentration
And scatter your forces, you'll feel drained.

You can concentrate all of your energy
For protracted periods of time.
But if anyone tries to rush you,
That, to you, is a major crime.

Whatever you call reality,
That is what you cling to securely.
And because of your stick-to-itiveness,
You don't give up prematurely.

You need to feel emotionally secure,
And so you are naturally cautious--
Always on the look-out for those
Weighty concerns that threaten to squash us.

Regarding dependability,
That is something at which you excel.
But to you it's extremely important
That you can depend on others as well.

Disappointment doesn't come easy;
You take it very much to heart,
Especially since you know you always
Put the horse before the cart.

If you can follow your planned agenda
And have the time, your tenacity
Helps you accomplish all your goals--
Everything that's within your capacity.

You can be loving and patient,
Soft-spoken, and subdued;
But you can be a stubborn cuss
When you're in a not-so-good mood.

Though you're usually slow to anger,
Surely you know what people say:
If you make a Taurean mad,
You'd better get out of his or her way!

You have a keen eye for beauty,
But don't be too materialistic.
Your strong need for material comforts
Could make you act opportunistic.

You need to be close to the earth;
Nature gives you inspiration.
The feeling that your foundation is weak
Causes a lot of exasperation.

If you're stubborn, you're VERY stubborn;
If you're lazy, you've VERY lazy.
Since you're good at whatever you do,
That shouldn't sound so crazy.

Your determination and strength
Should be an inspiration to all.
If you want to, you can do wonders.
It's up to you; it's your call.

- by Bob B (4-23-17)

Things are wild in the Garden of Eden
When Adam returns from his daily toil.
(You see: even in Paradise
Adam has to till the soil.)

"Adam," says Eve, "taste this fruit.
How could one ever surmise
That eating this fruit could be one's undoing?
You'll see the world through different eyes."

Adam partakes of the forbidden fruit,
And all of a sudden he feels inside
A rush of shame. Grabbing Eve's hand,
He says, "Come. We've got to hide."

A booming voice shakes the foliage,
"****! I knew I'd eventually dread it.
When I made you humans, I
Certainly gave you too much credit.

"What did I tell you about partaking
Of the tree bearing forbidden fruit?"
?"Eve MADE me do it!" cries Adam.
God yells, "I don't give a hoot!"

"The serpent," says Eve. "It's the serpent's fault.
He was the actual perpetrator."
"Shush," says God. "You silly ninnies.
I will deal with the serpent later.

"Your thirst for knowledge of good and evil
Opened your eyes. I knew you'd rue it.
You'll be banished from Paradise now.
Bottom line: you both blew it."

Then God adds, "And put on some clothes.
Don't you feel at all ashamed?
And, by the way, before you leave,
Are there any animals you haven't named?"

Adam shrugs, "Nameless animals…
Let's see. I don't think there are any.
But there are millions of species here.
Why did you have to make so many?"

"Exit now from the Garden," God thunders.
"You had to know the mess you'd be in.
Both of you are going to discover
That now your troubles will really begin."

The Garden gates slam shut behind them
As the couple sadly wanders off.
"A fine mess you got us into!"
Adam mutters to Eve with a scoff.

"Life was easy in the Garden of Eden,
But there's one thing I have to confess,"
Says Eve, admiring herself in a pond,
"I'm really liking my brand new dress."

If they think they have troubles now,
Wait till they see what else God forbids:
Mixing fabrics and eating shellfish.
And wait till they start having kids.

"People are going to blame us," says Adam.
"We need to come up with a good solution.
I'm hoping that somebody somewhere devises
A logical theory of evolution."

So off they journey, hand in hand,
Wishing they'd gotten by with impunity.
"It was just fruit," they lament, already
Missing their life in their gated community.

When fringe groups go mainstream,          
We're in a lot of trouble.
If extremism turns you on,
Sorry to burst your bubble.

A virus in the Wh…Breit House uses
Every opportunity
To threaten our democracy
By weakening our immunity.

Opposition to the virus
Is told--is ordered--to hush.
If you have been directly exposed,
Your brain will turn to mush.

Once you are infected the damage
Is usually irreparable.
(A fool and foolish ideas are
Without a doubt inseparable.)

The Bannon virus is dangerous
Because it's so insidious.
That's why healthy individuals
Find it so invidious.

Disinfecting the Breit House will
Require a lot of gumption.
People will say it's impossible,
But that's a mere presumption.

Remain healthy and well-informed.
There's no time to relax.
Woe to the country if the virus
Isn't stopped in its tracks.

- by Bob B (2-2-17)

Despite voter suppression laws,
Alabamians voted for
A Democrat to serve in Congress.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

A man who respects the rule of law
And built supporters' esprit de corps
Won a defining but narrow election.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

The win hopefully sends a message
That actions are something we won't ignore--
That decency and respect matter.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

When racist, xeno- and homophobic
Feelings ooze from every pore,
That person is unfit for office.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

****** assaulters beware:
American voters are keeping score
As more victims speak out loudly.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

May the movement for honesty,
Truth, respect, and integrity soar!
Keep alive the momentum of hope.
Doug Jones beat Roy Moore!

-by Bob B (12-13-17)

D.J.T.:
"There was no conspiracy.
I won the race legitimately.
How do I know? 'Cause Putin told me so.

"Kim Jong Un can toil and toil,
But his bombs can't reach our soil.
How do I know? 'Cause Putin told me so.

"Before I ask our experts,
Usually I think twice.
I would rather go
To Putin for advice.

"NATO doesn’t need our aid.
I think we are being played.
How do I know? 'Cause Putin told me so.

“Nuclear treaties? Not essential.
Power makes you presidential.
How do I know? ‘Cause Putin told me so.”

-by Bob B (2-27-19)

Shame, oh shame on you, America!
I swear this is really as low as it gets:
To fail those faithful ones who served you.
How can you do this to our vets?
 
Oh, you who love to send our soldiers
To fight your battles in a distant land,
And bring them home—injured, rattled—
And then deny them a helping hand
 
Because we can’t afford the costs
Of meeting the growing number of cases.
You drop off your kids at their private schools
Then go to your clubs and stuff your faces!
 
Shame, oh shame on you, America,
For ignoring those who’ve sounded the alarm.
Your heedlessness and your thoughtless greed
Have caused our vets irreparable harm.
 
How sad it is when our veteran facilities,
Choosing to avoid some angry looks,
Solve the problem of limited funds
With the simple approach of cooking the books!
 
Some vets languish on wait lists for weeks,
Hoping against hope that assistance arrives
Before their frustrations overwhelm them
And they end up taking their lives.
 
Why aren’t our vets our top priority?
I guess it’s more important that we
Provide huge tax breaks to the wealthy
And subsidize corporations, you see.
 
Shame, oh shame on you, America!
You’re quick to spend your money on wars,
But slow to help our needy veterans
Here on our vast, indifferent shores!

- by Bob B

I'll be a broken record;
I'll be a pesky fly
And keep asking questions--
Keep asking, "WHY?"

WHY, after thousands of shootings,
Are we still having fights
Interpreting our nebulous
Second Amendment rights?

WHY are we constantly told
That there's simply no way
To loosen the very tight grip
Of the intransigent NRA?

WHY do some believe
That fewer will be harmed
Or killed by a violent miscreant
If MORE Americans are armed?

WHY don't gun owners find
That fine-tuning the laws
To protect ALL Americans
Is a worthy cause?

WHY does it fall on deaf ears
Whenever the public demands
Ways to keep our guns
Out of the wrong hands?

WHY does it seem to be only
In America that we find
This love affair with guns--
Where guns are so enshrined?

Until we see some changes
And answers to questions WHY,
I'll be a broken record;
I'll be a pesky fly.

- by Bob B

Whistleblowers, do not falter!
Blow those whistles! Sound the alarm!
Although your silence might be safer,
Ultimately, it does more harm.

Whistleblowers, keep exposing
Malfeasance where it occurs.
Even though you have to face
All the wrongdoers' smears and slurs.

Whistleblowers, point out corruption,
Abuse of power, fraud, deceit,
And widespread hypocrisy.
Apply some pressure; turn up the heat.

Whistleblowers, do not fear
Corrupt leaders who call you spies
Merely because you reveal
Their deceptive behavior and lies.

Whistleblowers, be for us
Courageous ones who do what's right.
Let the truth saturate
The findings that you bring to light.

Whistleblowers, do not falter!
Blow those whistles! Sound the alarm!
Although your silence might be safer,
Ultimately, it does more harm.

-by Bob B (9-28-19)

The missionary wiped the sweat
That formed small beads on his sunburnt brow.
Never had he thought that learning
A language would be so hard till now.

But learning a language and studying a culture
So very different from his own,
Deep in the Amazonian jungle--
A damp and brutal climate zone--

Were challenges that he was eager
Because of his Christian faith to accept,
Even though he had to watch out
For poisonous creatures wherever he stepped.

His goal: to learn the language there
In order to translate the Holy Bible
So he could teach the truth as he knew it
To various peoples, godless and tribal.

His dual role as a servant of God
And graduate student studying linguistics
Opened his mind and heart to embrace
The people's diverse characteristics.

Constant threats were jaguars, insects,
And anacondas in the river,
Along with shifty river pilots
Transporting goods to trade or deliver.

After years of being there
And putting up with a bare subsistence,
He pondered why his ideas among
The people were met with such resistance.

Occurring to him suddenly
As an epiphany, he had to face
The fact that maybe he had been
Peddling his goods in the wrong place.

Why did he need to fix the people?
They were fine just as they were.
If he tried to change their beautiful
Way of life, what would occur?

They had faith in themselves and lived
Without worry, fear, or despair.
He was imposing his own concept
Of truth on them. How unfair!

Questioning his own ideas,
He clarified his own confusion
And saw that life without absolutes
Was one way to see through delusion.

How ironic! He'd gone to Brazil
With good intentions, though smug and prim,
To try to convert the people there;
They, however, converted him.

-by Bob B (12-3-17)

°Inspired by the experiences of Daniel L. Everett