Where, pray tell, are we now?
How far have we progressed?
Have we covered our ears so we can't
Hear the cries of the dispossessed?

Have pages been ripped out of history books
So that the people cannot see
The struggles that many undertook
To help to set all people free?

A nation "indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all"
Can benefit at times from a self-
Evaluative overhaul,

Or maybe from a look in the mirror
To see whether the image displayed
Truly represents the picture
Of freedom meant to be conveyed.

Through irreconcilable differences,
Have we now become divorced
From hopeful ideals that early on
The shapers of our nation endorsed?

Are we sincerely looking within
Our hearts to make a "more perfect" nation,
Or are we more consumed with drawing
Attention to the standing ovation?

Are we shutting the door to the soul
Of America and walling out
The power and strength that forms the basis
Of what this country is all about?

Let us not be blindsided
By rogue forces that hope to succeed
In weakening what makes us strong,
Only to relish watching us bleed.

-by Bob B (6-16-18)

They say that in the Manot Cave
In the area now known as Galilee
Part of a human skull was found,
Which is important for you and me.
 
The fifty-five-thousand-year-old remains
Put **** sapiens in Neanderthal land.
We know that despite some interbreeding,
**** sapiens got the upper hand.
 
The Neanderthals became extinct.
Why they disappeared is a mystery.
Violence, pathogens, competitive replacement?
Whatever it was, it is ancient history.
 
The findings help us to know our past,
To see our connectedness and to probe
Into the early migration of mankind
To view how we populated the globe.
 
Life wasn't easy for humans back then.
We can tell when we dig up bones.
How did they ever manage to survive
Without computers and mobile phones?

- by Bob B

Starting out as a precocious child,
He always maintained a calm exterior.
He never begrudged the competition
For winning and never felt inferior.
A lucky streak would occur for a while;
A spate of losses would follow. Alas!
He took the wins and losses in stride
And merely stated, "All things must pass."

He felt he was somewhat lucky in life--
Though luck always comes and goes, it seems.
He met someone and fell in love--
He claimed he'd found the "girl of his dreams."
Three kids later they parted ways--
By mutual consent--no fights; no sorrow.
"So it goes," he calmly said.
"Here today and gone tomorrow."

His acumen in business matters
Brought him solid financial security
While many competitors sadly foundered
And faded away into obscurity.
He kept his dignity and calm demeanor,
Even during a major fumble,
And said, "Life is constant change,"
When Wall Street took a disastrous tumble.

A second marriage later in life
For him was a type of resurrection
As he and his new love explored the world.
That gave his life a new direction.
When she succumbed to a major illness,
His feelings, over which he held sway,
Allowed him to grieve by quoting George Harrison
As he said, "All things must pass away."

"I've had a good life," he'd proudly aver,
"I have no regrets and no complaints.
I'm not the biggest cad in the world,
And you won't find me among the saints."
While on his death bed surrounded by family--
Knowing it was his final hour--
Unable to talk, he lovingly smiled
And pointed at a wilting flower.

- by Bob B

The things I should have said in the past,
I didn't know how to say.
The things I want to say right now,
Constantly eat away
At inculcated inhibitions, which
Stifle apt expression
Out of the fear of uttering
A possible indiscretion.
 
The things I couldn't see in the past
I "see" much better now,
Such as the deep and powerful connections
Of the where and why and how.
Although there is a current diminishing
Of youthful visual acuity,
One doesn't need perfect vision
To penetrate ambiguity.
 
The things my ears could hear in the past
No longer sound the same.
Listening with the ears of experience
Completely changes the game.
To see with the ears and to hear with the eyes--
What a challenging perspective!--
Instead of being stuck in a pattern
That's sadly ineffective.
 
The things I knew so well in the past
I know right now even better.
Strict adherence to worn-out ideas
Proves to be a fetter.
If knowing is truly becoming, that means
The immeasurable range of our knowing
Is tied to our experiences and is
A direct result of growing.
 
George Bernard Shaw said youth
Is wasted on the young.
But maybe it's better for us to consider
Our youth as merely a rung
On the amazing ladder of life that we
Haven't ascended for naught.
We're lucky we've made it as far as we have;
The alternative's an unpleasant thought.
 
Knowing what I know and seeing what I see,
I'm forced to speak my mind,
Lest my silence be misconstrued
As agreement, which I find
Would contradict what I have learned
And what experience reveals.
Moreover, I can't justify
Abandoning my ideals.

- by Bob B

Ari was not different to me.
Kids said, "He is Jewish." So?
I thought to myself. What does that mean?
That was long, long ago.

To me he was a classmate, a kid,
A friend, a neighbor, someone who
Played just like the other kids.
What did it matter if he was a Jew?

That was back when people had "cooties."
Do people have cooties anymore?
If people want to dislike others,
They'll come up with reasons galore:

Different religion, different race,
****** orientation, gender,
The way we talk, or whether we
Are overweight or overly slender.

People will find someone to fear,
Someone to shun, someone to tease,
Someone to scorn, someone to laugh at
And made to feel ill at ease.

We humans! What a bunch
Of silly, crazy, mixed-up fools--
Intolerant, insecure,
Defensive, uptight, as stubborn as mules!

From generation to generation
The cycle continues as parents tell
Their kids whom to hate and like.
Ah, yes, they teach their children well.

Praise to the parents with open minds
Who teach their kids to love, not hate.
That is the key to break the cycle
Of hatred that we perpetuate.

Loving parents guide their children
In loving ways. Such parents show them
The key to understanding others:
To open up and get to know them.

- by Bob B (12-18-16)

Miss Muffins is a corpulent cat--
A trait she hasn't really bemoaned.
However, she likes to see herself
Not as obese, but rather…big *****.

Big ***** she isn't. Let's be frank.
But BIG she is: twenty-five pounds!
Once she discovered la bonne vie,
She put on weight in leaps and bounds.

The first time guests encounter Miss Muffins,
Their comments might sound picayune,
For they remark in disbelief,
"I didn't know you had a raccoon!"

Miss Muffins, who is highly offended,
Would love to dash from the room in disdain,
But since her poundage limits her movement,
Such an attempt would be in vain.

As long as she can lie by the window
And warm herself with the rays of the sun,
She doesn't have a care in the world
And wonders what could be more fun.

It's been a few years since Miss Muffins
Could jump up onto the bed or couch.
Her last attempt: a complete disaster.
She hit the floor with a thud and an "Ouch!"

Now she merely sits by the sofa
And looks up at her masters and cries,
As if to say, "Help me, please;
You could use the exercise."

There she curls up into a ball
And dreams of manifold savory things--
Things like tuna, goat cheese, sardines,
Chicken gizzards, and turkey wings.

If a mouse enters the room,
She says, "Ah, Mousie, I'm not in the mood.
Go ahead and eat what you like;
Just stay far away from all of my food!"

The only time Miss Muffins will run--
Well, sort of--happens each day when
She hears her masters call "Kitty, Kitty."
She knows its dinnertime again.

After her meal, Miss Muffins finds
A comfy place in the house to rest.
According to her theory, that
Is how one lets her food digest.

When little children come to visit,
Poor Miss Muffins lets out a moan.
"Why," she asks, "do they have to tickle
And **** me? Make them leave me alone!"

The best way to win her affection
Is simply to give her something to eat.
You will become best friends forever
By offering her a tasty treat.

If, however, you give her a taste
Of something she hates, she'll be quite candid.
You will know that you have erred,
For you'll be severely reprimanded.

Every so often, Miss Muffins hears
Something that fills her with great disquiet:
When she's at her doctor's office,
A four-letter word is mentioned: diet.

"Ah, it's time to change the subject,"
Thinks Miss Muffins. "Lovely weather."
To counter unwanted suggestions, she knows
We all have to band together.

“Okay,” Miss Muffins now concedes,
"I admit I’m a weight-challenged cat."
She can accept that label, but
Whatever you do, don't call her fat.

-by Bob B (2-18-20)

What is this thing that we have about a wall?
For centuries humans have had occasion
To build structures in hopes to forestall
Any threat of attack or invasion.
 
The Great Wall of China is very well known,
Requiring effort to be built through the ages.
A structure of such immensity requires
That it be designed and completed in stages.
 
Thick walls of castles and fortresses abound
To protect against plunder and pillage.
Protective walls also surround
Many a quaint Medieval village.
 
As you traverse America you’ll see
Walls and fences throughout the land.
DO NOT ENTER signs naturally will be—
Along with NO TRESPASSING—in great demand.
 
Around many homes is a wall or a fence—
Usually, that is, around the back yards.
Some people go to greater expense
And live in a gated community with guards.
 
Sometimes I wonder if they’re worth the labor—
All of these fences built at great cost.
But some say a good fence makes a good neighbor,
Referring to the line in a poem by Frost.
 
There are reasons for walls, no doubt.
In East Germany and East Berlin,
Instead of trying to keep people out,
Walls were constructed to keep people in.
 
Walls around prisons also deter
The inmates from fleeing before they’re released.
When seeing school walls, we can infer
How much school violence has increased.
 
The wall that Israel has built—we can see—
Winds in and out of the West Bank location.
It’s there for defense, we are told, although we
Can also see that it’s for separation.
 
Some want a wall on our southern border.
That will solve our problems, they say.
Frankly, that would be a tall order
Who has the money to fritter away?
 
Some walls are the intangible kinds—
The ones around us that are invisible
And prevent us from truly opening our minds.
To deny their existence would be risible.

I wonder: will it ever end--
This building of barriers to keep us apart?
It seems as though we're trying to extend
The wall surrounding the human heart.

- by Bob B

Last night I saw my mom and dad.
We had a lovely chat.
Laughing, joking, carrying on...
We’re always good at that.
 
Dad, without his oxygen tank,
Had no trouble walking.
He spoke of books and politics
And had no trouble talking.
 
Mom dashed about her kitchen
Busily preparing
Some delectable treat to serve.
(I even heard her swearing.)
 
Such visits happen now and then.
Sometimes it even seems
As though they’re real and not occurring
ONLY in my DREAMS.
 
Why Mom and Dad are in a dream,
I don’t have a clue.
But I love to see them; it's
The best that I can do.
 
It’s hard to believe that eighteen years
Ago they passed away.
It’s strange; it almost seems as though
It happened yesterday.
 
Healthy, strong, invincible,
Robust, and never sad,
Philosophizing, loving, caring—
That’s how I see Dad.
 
No less loving, but more pensive
And never brash or gushy,
Mom expresses love through actions.
She’s kind, but never mushy.
 
These dreamy reunions I will cherish
Until my memory fades;
Or until life decides
It's time to pull the shades.

- by Bob B

For many months people asked,
"With Trump as president, what could go wrong?"
Well, a lot. It's already started,
And it hasn't taken very long.

Gag orders have been imposed
On various agencies, saying "Whoa!"
Not only to our freedom of speech,
But also to our right to know.

Cutting the flow of information
Of agencies such as the EPA°
Is a frightening sign and something
We must address straightaway.

It's ONE thing for Trump not to agree
With an agency's recommendations;
It's ANOTHER thing altogether
To silence the voices of organizations.

To silence agencies meant to protect
Our quality of life? Shame! Shame!
Whose voice will he stifle next?
At which right will he next take aim?

An authoritarian country wants
Its people to live in ignorance and fear
By limiting what people can say,
By limiting what people can hear.

A growing number of angry voices
Will shout the command: "For'd, harch!"
If we care about our rights,
There might have to be another march.

- by Bob B (1-25-17)

°Environmental Protection Agency.
The Department of the Interior and
the Department of Agriculture were
also affected.
°°24 hours after the gag order was
issued, it was rescinded. Pressure
and public protest work.

A little after two A.M.
This morning forty-nine names were read--
The names of forty-nine victims who
Now are sleeping among the dead.

They lost their lives a year ago
When a gunman, ISIS-inspired,
Sneaked his weapon into a nightclub,
Held it up, and open-fired.

Those who survived the horrible shooting
At the gay club where the crime took place
Will constantly relive that nightmare.
It's hardly something that time can erase.

Fifty-three patrons were wounded that night,
Many of whom still are reeling
From the horror, and they still require
Physical and mental healing.

Think of the families and friends of the victims.
Think of the magnitude of their loss.
How do you measure the sadness when
Extremists and innocent lives crisscross?

People from all over the world
Were appalled by the killer's barbarity
And sent kind words of sympathy
As they joined together in solidarity.

However, from under a dark veil
Of hatred and hypocrisy,
Emerged some voices of hatred from those
Hell-bent on a theocracy.

Voices of fanaticism,
No matter the source, always destroy
The goodness that is meant to be
And stifle liberty and joy.

Today in Orlando and in other cities,
Forty-nine times the church bells will sound.
May we remember the innocent victims
And let love and compassion abound.

- by Bob B (6-12-17)

When Trump took office, Sean Spicer,
Press Secretary, expressed
Negative feelings about low figures
For unemployment and further stressed

That such statistics were meaningless.
The important thing is jobs, he said.
Apparently, he was implying
That we have often been misled.

New figures have just come out
Regarding the unemployment rate,
Which is 4.7 percent.
The White House NOW thinks that's great!

Suddenly, figures and numbers
Have meaning, though they didn't before.
Isn't it odd how credibility
Doesn't matter anymore?

The White House has no faith at all
In what the CBO° has to say
Regarding repercussions of
The Republican "fix" for the ACA.°°

White House figures will be more accurate,
Spicer insists, which implies
That we are going to be bombarded
With more alternative facts and lies.

- by Bob B (3-11-17)

°Congressional Budget Office
°°Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

"Obstructionism...obstructionism:
It has to be my favorite -ism.
So what if we have a schism.
Three cheers for obstructionism!
 
"Who cares if it’s wrong or right?
The important thing is fight, fight, fight.
I don’t care what others say;
But I'll be ****** if they get their way!
 
"You have your cause, I have mine;
But still I have to draw the line:
I don’t believe in compromise—
That’s a word that I despise.
 
"My constituents voted for me.
I am sure they’ll all agree
That I’m the one who knows the best
When any issue is addressed.
 
"So we shut the government down.
There’s a jewel in the crown:
Knowing you can always guide
The folks to blame the other side.
 
"I know there’s a golden rule,
But let me tell you: I’m no fool.
It does not apply to you
When YOU'VE got wealth and status, too.
 
"I let lobbyists speak their mind
And with their cause I’ll be aligned.
(That depends on the amount
That ends up in my bank account.)
 
"How I love to filibuster
With ALL the effort I can muster!
Also, stalling—it’s worth noting—
Is good for keeping us from voting.
 
"It’s political suicide
To let yourself forget to hide
Your real feelings on a matter
And not to indulge in senseless chatter.
 
"Please don’t think we are inept.
Actually, we’re quite adept
At killing proposals one by one
(And getting very little done).
 
"Obstructionism...obstructionism--
The next best thing to favoritism.
We have an ideological schism,
So three cheers for obstructionism!"

- by Bob B

Fact-checking is meaningless if
People have no respect for facts.
Just watch social media and you
Will see how the public reacts

To natural disasters or shootings.
Conspiracy theories quickly abound
And suddenly the Internet is
An informational battleground.

Knowing the truth no longer gives us
A feeling of calm or a sense of relief,
Since few people have an incentive
For altering a false belief.

Experts say our psychological
Weaknesses are targets for those
Who spread misinformation for
Ideological ends. These pros

Know how to use the media well.
Their credibility's merely a ruse.
And suddenly the falsehoods are
Amplified all over the news.

Hacks and kooks and fringe group crazies
Have been around forever; it's true.
If there's a chance to spread their lies,
They do not miss a cue.

Fringe groups going mainstream. Yikes!
That's a recipe for disaster,
Especially when a gullible public
Eats up the nonsense faster and faster.

Orwell's 1984
For many years made us wary.
The year twenty seventeen
Is also looking ****** scary.

-by Bob B (9-3-17)

Oleaginous swamp monsters
Inhabit the swamp where they
Carry out nefarious deeds,
Victimizing their prey.

Pertinacious in how they manage
To obfuscate their acts,
They disregard well-meaning
Attempts to get at facts.

Fleecing America, laundering money,
Wily defrauding banks,
And practicing insider trading:
Some ways they fill their tanks.

How their greed pushes them
To plot and plan and scheme!
How they pledge allegiance to
The Swamp Monster Supreme!

They do their best to cover their tracks.
Not only do they smother
Investigations, but they also
Steal from one another!

Who can get away with more?
Who can feel no shame?
Who can withstand more shocking scandals?
It almost becomes a game.

Many people will fall for the lies.
They can rest assured
That falsehoods will be one thing to which
They'll have become inured.

As long as the murky swamp remains,
The swamp monsters will thrive.
If we fail to take on the monsters,
How will we ever survive?

-by Bob B (8-9-18)

Fifty-two years ago
The people of the US saw
President Lyndon Johnson sign
The Voting Rights Act into law.

Our leaders and our Supreme Court
Have since struck down important protections
That came with the VRA,
Affecting our freedom and future elections.

Our right to vote is under attack--
A blow in the gut to Uncle Sam.
The president's new Voter Fraud
Commission is real sham.

Applying more obstacles
That make it harder for people to vote
Is not conducive for keeping our
Democratic values afloat.

The reasons for the assaults on our rights
Are obvious and calculating.
Believers of democracy
Should find them all infuriating.

It's sad and scary to see our leaders
Limit our rights with no remorse.
But clearly for our president,
That, good people, is par for the course.

(8-7-17) By Bob B

(Can be sung to the tune of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee")

This country once was grand.
It's hard to understand
What has gone wrong.
Without change, rest assured,
Rights that were once secured
Will all become obscured.
Hear this sad song!

Our country nationwide
Was once more unified;
Now it is split.
Our leader--not so smart--
Who lacks a caring heart
Is tearing us apart,
Yes, bit by bit.

When presidents defy
Rule of law, tell me why
People don't act.
Obstructing justice should
Prove they're up to no good.
Let this be understood:
They must be sacked.

When leaders lie we must
Find others whom we trust
To tell the truth.
Climate change ought to be
A huge priority,
If not for you and me,
Then for our youth.

If people are too dense
And have no commonsense
Can we survive?
May eyes be opened so
More people here can know
What we must do to grow.
Let wisdom thrive!

-by Bob B (6-12-19)

New Year's resolutions
Normally aren't worth making,
Since they tend to be
Something we're usually breaking.

I've decided Whoa!
To self-deprivation
And unnecessary
Guilt and indignation.

My resolution this year
Is to daily devour
As many sweets as possible.
(Preferably on the hour.)

The ideal situation
Would be for me to sate
My appetite for confections
Without gaining weight.

All those pastries and donuts
Might not be so cheap.
But THIS is a resolution
That shouldn't be hard to keep.

- by Bob B (1-1-17)

He walks in the footsteps that few can tread.
His gentle voice is commanding--
Not in a commandeering manner,
But full of understanding,

Kindness, compassion, patience, and peace.
There's no way to measure
The love that permeates his being.
His words: a priceless treasure.

While others with judgmental views
Tear the world apart,
This man has not one speck
Of hatred in his heart.

Deep humility guides his steps
And isn't a mere abstraction.
Passion for humanity
Governs his every action.

You mean Christ, you say to me
With words one could defend.
Christ? No, I mean George,°
My school chum and my friend.

-by Bob B (6-28-17)

°The Eleventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

Touching her forehead to the cobblestone street
And raising her upturned palms in the air,
The beggar maintains her pose for hours--
A pose of misery, pain, and despair.

Into the Venetian square pours
A constant flow of tourist mobs.
Few pay any attention
To the beggar's miserable, plaintive sobs.

Once in a while her eye will catch
The eye of somebody passing by.
Feeling remorse, disgust, or discomfort,
The person turns away with a sigh.

Occasionally, a kind-hearted
Soul will drop a coin in the palm
Of the beggar woman's beseeching hand,
Hoping to give her a moment of calm.

"Grazie molto, signore, signora,"
The woman cries, lifting her head.
Tears stream down her wrinkled cheeks
From watery eyes, puffy and red.

"Don't encourage her," somebody says.
"Why doesn't she find some employment?"
"How disgusting!" says another.
"She puts a damper on my enjoyment."

Who knows the desperation
That brought the woman to her current state?
It's always easier to turn one's head,
To criticize or castigate.

One man says, "You'll never find me
Begging like her. That's what I know."
He's unaware that the poor woman
Said the same thing years ago.

-by Bob B

(can be sung to "Over the Rainbow" from the film THE WIZARD OF OZ)

"Down on our southern border
There's my wall.
Even though you can't see it,
I see it standing tall.

"Some say it doesn't need to
Be in place.
But I've worked very hard to
Dupe my believing base.

"Congress might not give me cash,
But I've got ways to find the stash
To fund it.
I've declared--as you can see!--
A national emergency.
***** those who shunned it.

"I will get what I want; I
Always do.
My great wall is going to
Make all my dreams come true.

"If Putin gets his way, then why
Can't Donald Trump? Yes,
Why the hell can't I?"

-by Bob B (2-19-19)

We've progressed in many ways:
We know the earth's not flat.
But killing in the name of God?
Now how absurd is that?

They say we have a developed brain,
But when you hear the news, it
Is pretty clear that many people
Don't know how to use it!

I know it's wise to try to find
What makes others tick.
But sometimes--****!--it's difficult
To put up with their shtick.

To give the benefit of the doubt
Sounds very fine,
But there's a dangerous point at which
People cross the line:

Killing others just because
They don't think like you
Has to be a blatantly
Stupid thing to do.

All over you can find wise people--
In every nook and cranny.
You'll also find many a fool
Whose head is up his *****.

- by Bob B

Write it down. Make a note.
Add it to your list.
Organize your facts so that
There's nothing you have missed.

Keep track of activities.
Organize your files.
Sift through clutter endlessly.
Maneuver 'round the piles.

Listen to the constant chatter
Occurring in your mind.
Update, upgrade, upload, and upscale
Before you get behind.

Connect all dots, look for answers--
Leave no stone unturned.
If the stress builds up then try
Acting unconcerned.

Be sure to take in everything;
Do not miss a sight.
You notice that your grasp is weakening?
Hold on with all your might.

Buy the latest, smartest, greatest--
Maybe pull some strings….
But wait! Surely life must offer
More than countless things.

Are YOU living or BEING lived?
Only you can know.
Slow down. Breathe. Smile. Don't be
Tossed to and fro.

Why be a slave to busyness
And ultimately curtail
Your freedom by condemning yourself
To your own private jail?

Why pore over volumes of words
For clues that will misguide you
Instead of looking within to see
That truth lies deep inside you?

Why seek answers in so many places
Hour after hour
When life's profound meaning can be
Reflected in a flower?

- by Bob B

We have walked on the moon
And zoomed into outer space.
Messages travel the world
At a breath-taking pace.

We've landed rovers on Mars
And scoured the depths of the sea,
Snapped close-ups of Saturn
And explored to the nth degree.

We've studied the changing climate,
Prevented many a disease,
And invented artificial
Limbs and hips and knees.

We've made great strides fighting cancer;
New studies are taking root
In the area of quantum physics
And molecular biology to boot.

With all this amazing progress
We're still miles behind
When it comes to opening
The human heart and mind.

Misinformation takes precedence
Over rational thought;
Forgetfulness erases
The lessons we were taught.

Awareness, compassion, empathy…
Where have they gone?
Distrust, fear, and hatred
Ruthlessly live on.

It's almost as though some governments
Are insidiously in sync
At being flagrantly negligent
Of encouraging people to think.

More than ever it's crucial
To distinguish truth from lies.
It's incumbent on us
To open resistant eyes.

How do we treat other people?
Our human actions show,
That despite our advancements,
We have a long way to go.

- by Bob B

A beginning is often an ending;
An ending is often a beginning.
Sometimes winning is losing;
Sometimes losing is winning.
 
Bad can come out of good;
Good can come out of bad.
Something that makes one happy
Might make someone else sad.
 
Though giving is better than receiving,
Sometimes receiving is giving.
Living leads to death;
Death contributes to living.
 
Bliss to some is ignorance;
Ignorance to some is bliss.
To one a miss is a hit;
To another a hit is a miss.
 
Sometimes we laugh when we cry;
Sometimes we cry when we laugh.
A bold move to you,
To me might be a gaffe.
 
A lie can sound like the truth;
The truth can sound like a lie;
Some people seem very distant,
Even though they're nearby.
 
You have to know to ask,
And you have to ask to know.
We need the earth, yes?
Does the earth need us? No!

- by Bob B

BIDEN (to Bush)
I have to say,
Because of you, man,
We have this mess
In Afghanistan.

BUSH
It's not my fault.
We were attacked
On 9/11,
As a matter of fact.
If we hadn't gone
To Afghanistan
What would have been
Al-Qaeda's next plan?

BIDEN (to Bush)
But wait a minute!
Al-Qaeda was routed.
But let's talk about
Other things you flouted.
Like the truth when you said--
Like a vicious hawk--
That there were reasons
To invade Iraq.

OBAMA (to Bush)
Ah, so it's your fault.

BUSH
No!
WE went there
Because of the production
Of dangerous weapons
Of mass destruction.

OBAMA (to Bush)
But how did they ever
Get on your list--
The WMDs--
For they DIDN'T exist?

OBAMA, BIDEN (to Bush)
See, it's your fault!

BUSH
No, it isn't!
I decided
As commander in chief
That Saddam Hussein
Was causing too much grief.
I had to do
Something about it.
So, I had my team
Try to figure out it.

OBAMA, BIDEN
Figure it out,
Is what you mean.
But come on now:
You've GOTTA come clean.

BUSH (to Obama)
Wait!
You're the one
Who pulled our troops
Out of Iraq,
Which then allowed groups
Of ISIS fighters
To spread their hate
As they tried to form
An Islamic state.

So it's your fault.

OBAMA (to Bush)
The Iraqis wanted
Us to leave.
I didn't have
Any tricks up my sleeve.
The war in Iraq
Was a major distraction,
It didn't help matters,
Not even by a fraction.
Because of you,
People lost their focus
On Afghanistan
With all your hocus-pocus.

BUSH, BIDEN (to Obama)
But then you suddenly
Had the urge
To initiate
A giant surge
Of troops again
In Afghanistan.
What the hell
Were you thinking, man?

TRUMP
You all bear
Responsibility.
The war was a lesson
In futility.

BUSH, OBAMA, BIDEN (to Trump)
You're the one
Who spun his wheels.
With Taliban forces
You made some deals
Without including
Officials from
The government.
And that was dumb!
Did YOU perhaps show
With your Sharpie and your chart
That by May 1
The troops would depart?

TRUMP (to Obama and Biden)
Now wait a minute!
Part of your campaign
Was troop withdrawal
From the Afghan domain.

BIDEN (to Trump)
And that's what I did.
I followed through
With an agreement
That was made by you.
It wasn't something
That I reversed.
I just moved it
To August 31st.
Who could know how long
The government would last
And that the Taliban
Would move in so fast?

BUSH, OBAMA, TRUMP (to Biden)
Then it's YOUR fault!

THE PEOPLE (to Bush, Biden, Obama, and Trump)
It's EVERYBODY'S fault…
Along with Congress
And others we could blame.
But stop pointing fingers
And end this stupid game!
You ALL bear the fault.
Be that as it may,
What is done is done.
That was yesterday.
We need to save lives,
So, find a way somehow
To try to figure out
What to do now.

BIDEN, OBAMA, TRUMP, BUSH (pointing at one another)
But it's still your fault!

THE PEOPLE
Stop!

-by Bob B (8-18-21)

°Very loosely based on Stephen Sondheim's song "Your Fault" from INTO THE WOODS

During the election campaign, Trump        
Railed against Cruz and Clinton for
Their connections to Goldman Sachs--
Something we were supposed to abhor.

This week Donald Trump announced
His FIFTH high-profile hire
From Goldman Sachs to join his team.
Hypocrites are hard to admire.

If Trump's Goldman Sachs complaints
About the others helped you decide
To vote for him, well, sucker,
You were taken for a ride.

- by Bob B (1-13-17)

Everything is a lesson
Whether we like it or not.
Everything has a meaning.
Everything’s food for thought:
 
Unfortunate times, our triumphs,
Days both happy and sad,
People who warm our hearts,
People who drive us mad,
 
Illnesses and wellness,
Incidents that we regret,
Things we’ll remember forever,
And things we would like to forget.
 
Life makes more sense when
We open our eyes and our minds.
It’s like a light bulb going on,
Or like someone opening the blinds.
 
When we see interconnectedness—
When everything’s not about US—
Causes and conditions
Show us there’s always a THUS.
 
BOTH seeing and knowing
Guide us in understanding
The world around us; however,
The truth is also demanding.
 
You wonder: Does all of this knowing
Provide us with much consolation
When we feel so helpless
In effecting a transformation?
 
Some things seem so simple,
And yet they’re complicated.
It turns out the golden rule
Is far too underrated.
 
Too many people can’t see
The forest for the trees.
They claim to offer assurance,
But end up causing unease.
 
Sometimes the lessons we learn
Are hard to reconcile—
Especially when fanatics’
Tactics are cruel and vile.
 
Blinded by ideologies,
They lack genuine caring;
Their means for achieving their goals
Are violent and overbearing.
 
Is it that they do not see?
Or is it that they do not care?
Lying to themselves prevents them
From becoming truly aware.
 
It’s sad for the many victims
Whose lives are miserably affected
By those ideological thugs
Whose goals are misdirected.
 
It’s how we USE what we’ve learned
To help us make changes—to act—
To help us make smart decisions,
Using our wisdom and tact.
 
Learning from all of life’s lessons,
Combined with introspection
Or getting in touch with ourselves,
Is a step in the right direction.
 
Just always keep in mind
That whether we like it or not,
Everything has a meaning;
Everything’s food for thought.

- by Bob B

Did you hear of the chicken
Who wanted to be a duck?
You have to admit that the chicken
Had a great deal of pluck.
 
Scrutinizing her duck friends,
She sought out the best model,
But despite weeks of practice,
She still couldn’t waddle.
 
“This clucking,” she said, “won’t cut it.
I need to learn how to quack.”
But the only sounds she emitted
Were still not a “quack” but a “clack.”
 
“I prefer to eat duck food,”
She boasted, and with that
She gobbled up all she could
And ended up getting too fat.
 
“Ducks are good at flying,
So it makes perfect sense
For me to try it,” she said—
Barely reaching the fence.
 
“That’s it!” she finally exclaimed.
“For swimming ducks are renowned.”
She dashed into the lake,
Flapped her wings, and drowned.
 
The ducks sighed in sadness.
Poor chicken—she just couldn’t see
THAT THINGS AREN’T NECESSARILY
ALL THEY’RE QUACKED UP TO BE.

-by Bob B

Prancing along a jungle path,
A monkey found a curious box.
Not to investigate the contraption
Would be for him unorthodox.

A number of small holes had been drilled
Into the side of the box, so he
Could see inside to satisfy
His boundless curiosity.

The box contained a tempting nut.
If he could only reach inside
And pull it out! How marvelous!
If not, he'd be dissatisfied.

He put his tiny, searching hand
Through a small hole, grabbed the nut,
And tried to pull it through the hole.
The nut was way too big. "What?"

The monkey exclaimed. "It won't fit!"
What was the poor guy to do?
He sat with his hand in the hole for hours,
Frantically trying to pull the nut through.

Soon a trapper came strolling by
And found the monkey next to the trap.
He tossed the monkey--along with some others--
Into a bag and tightened a strap.

Off he went with his catch for the day,
Happy that he had taken great pains
To make good traps so he could supply
The restaurateur with monkey brains.

How much like the monkey are we!
We grasp onto possessions, views,
Our pride, our ego, our sense of self…
And though we suffer, we refuse

To let things go--to gently release
That which ultimately constrains us,
Closes our minds, hardens our hearts,
Blinds our eyes, or firmly enchains us.

-by Bob B (11-25-17)

According to the dictionary,
A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR would be
Someone who with great compulsion
Stretches the truth habitually.

A NARCISSIST would be a person
Showing an excessive preoccupation
With him- or herself and also displaying
Overwhelming self-admiration.

An exaggerated sense of self-
Importance also plays a part
In how the NARCISSIST behaves.
The person has very little heart.

Abnormally egotistical
And overly self-absorbed and conceited,
The EGOMANIAC can cause
A lot of damage if left untreated.

Being even one of the above
Would make people think you're a ****.
But if you were all THREE of them,
You'd be a real piece of work.

- by Bob B (2-10-17)

Hateful campaigns polarize
The public; salacious scandals abound;
Demagogues stir up the voters;
Vicious rumors are passed around;

Threats are made if one's opponent
Wins the race; fake news spreads;
Internal strife within the parties
Has the members at loggerheads;

Security leaks flow from the top;
Vitriolic accusations
Denigrate opponents; we hear
Of more and more allegations;

Threats are levied at the free press;
The masses suspect the educated;
Verbal assaults on the judiciary
Are brazen and unsubstantiated;

Fears of election fraud are raised;
Hypocrisy knows no end;
Little attention is paid to the truth
As people don't care whom they offend;

Candidates "pump the popular passions";
Hush money's paid; stories don't jibe
As lawmakers find themselves
Susceptible to paying a bribe.

It sounds like politics and elections
In America from what we've seen
Happening in the past few years
Leading up to twenty eighteen.

But this was also America
In the year 1800.  Since such
Chaos occurred back then as well,
It shows we haven't changed that much.

-by Bob B (3-30-18)

The sum of our experiences:
That's who we are.
Do our experiences guide us
To reach for that distant star?
 
Do they allow us to see
Through a person's façade?
Do they help us uncover
Dangerous deceit and fraud?
 
Do they take us to places
Of deep and profound thought
Outside our ego selves,
Where we're something we're not?
 
Or do our experiences hold us
In a superficial realm
Or on a ship of mindlessness
With ignorance at the helm?
 
Do they allow us to open
Both our minds and our hearts--
To discard superstition
And embrace what reason imparts?
 
Since we're made up of all
That we have seen and known,
How reassuring it is
To know we're not alone.

That reassurance
Should make us mindfully strive
To work for the good of all people
So that our planet can thrive.

- by Bob B

Every time a shooting occurs,
We shake our heads in disbelief.
Subsequent dialogues reach
An impasse that further deepens our grief.

Democrats insist that current
Gun laws are not strict enough--
An idea that many Republican
Lawmakers firmly rebuff.

Those same Republicans
Choose to exercise their might
In protecting what they consider
Americans' Second Amendment right.

Democrats, in disagreement,
Counter with increasing frustration
That aspects of the Second Amendment
Leave much room for interpretation.

"This is not the time," some say,
"For lengthy discussions on gun control."
And once again we find ourselves
Going down the rabbit hole.

Gun violence here is inter-
Nationally unparalleled.
A vicious circle perpetuates
A tragedy that's unexcelled.

Guns in the wrong hands we know
Will have violent repercussions.
The only way to solve the problem
Will come from having healthy discussions.

If we maintain the status quo,
Read the writing on the wall:
Death and violence will increase
If no action is taken at all.

-by Bob B (6-15-17)

He says he is the "chosen one."
Could the man be more deluded?
That he's totally lost his marbles
Could easily be concluded.

Listening to his rants can drive
The conscientious person insane.
How much more nonsense does he
Harbor in his addled brain?

To save us from what? That's the question
One must ask. One thing's clear:
His strategies divide the country,
Causing hatred, doubt, and fear.

Keeping track of all his lies
Is a monumental task.
Could he be more unfit for the office
Of president? one must ask.

He couldn't care less whether
His policies are in error
Or if he mistreats immigrants
During his odious reign of terror.

Our history of cruelty
From slavery to internment camps
Has haunted us for years, but Trump
Is gleefully upping the amps.

Was he "chosen" to help the wealthy,
Damage the economy, take away rights,
Inflict deep pain, hurt the environment,
And pander to evangelical whites?

If he was chosen to do all of that,
He has been doing an excellent job.
Just to know how much chaos he's wreaked
Certainly makes his cruel heart throb.

So if he must be chosen for something,
If only he forevermore
Could soon be the one CHOSEN
To EXIT through the White House door!

-by Bob B (8-22-19)

Back in September, certain members
Of Congress learned from the CIA
In secret briefings that Russia had
Very maliciously found a way

Through cyber intrusions, for example,
To take advantage of circumstances
To sway our presidential election
By giving a boost to Donald Trump's chances

Of winning, which would have to be
An unprecedented stunt
By a foreign government
To meddle here. Such an affront!

Mitch McConnell and others chose
Not to believe what they had heard
From the CIA, and consequently
Decided not to spread the word,

Thereby allowing certain factors
To affect our election. Imagine instead
If the Russians had helped Hillary Clinton.
Republicans would have been seeing red!

Trump downplays the news, of course.
Through all of this, one thing is clear:
People hear--unfortunately--
ONLY what they WANT to hear.

- by Bob B (12-12-16)

Praise to the leakers who take a risk
To rout out corruption, wrongdoings, and lies.
We have the right to know the truth.
A thousand thanks for opening our eyes.

Praise to the investigative press--
Brave, ubiquitous, and alert.
Exposing deceit and hypocrisy means
Sometimes having to dig up dirt.

Praise to the heroes who fight for our rights,
Exposing themselves to insults and scorn.
We take for granted most of our freedoms,
The loss of which one day we could mourn.

Praise to all the defenders of truth.
Don’t be bullied into submission.
Your vigilance will guide us when
Integrity suffers from malnutrition.

-by Bob B (8-9-17)

Longing is a part of human nature.
Seeking worlds beyond a fixed star
Pushes us to seek adventures--
Helps us discover who we are.
Stumbling on a golden path
Might change your heart and your demeanor;
Discontent could spur you on
To seek a place where the grass is greener.

But if you could see through Dorothy's eyes--
See the world with awe and wonder--
You could fly above the clouds
And see the rainbow from over and under.
Though your journeys take you far,
Remember no matter how far you roam,
Deep inside your heart for certain
You'll know there is no place like home.

When dark clouds and stormy times
Take you to strange and distant places,
Sometimes you ignore the signs
And misread the looks on people's faces.
Love and friendship are all around us.
The path to realization wends
Through encounters that show us that we
Must love ourselves to love our friends.

So if you could see through Dorothy's eyes--
See the world with awe and wonder--
You could fly above the clouds
And see the rainbow from over and under.
Though your journeys take you far,
Remember no matter how far you roam,
Deep inside your heart for certain
You'll know there is no place like home.

- by Bob B

On a night three years ago this week
Forty-nine people died
In a mass shooting that once again
Left the country horrified.

The Pulse nightclub, Orlando, Florida,
A place of nighttime revelry,
Became the target where a hater
Carried out his shooting spree.

Maybe among the victims' names
Are none that you can now recall.
Nevertheless, the incident
Is one that affects us all.

It's sad when conditions are such
That mass shootings become the norm.
It's equally sad when lawmakers
Shy away from gun-law reform.

And sad, too, it is when hate-filled
Bigots boldly advocate
That the deaths of forty-nine clubbers
Should be a cause to celebrate!

Shame on them who take religion
And shape it into deadly words
That they sling at innocent victims
While stirring up hatred among their herds.

The path to truth is a winding path;
It's easy to stumble, easy to stray.
Some start out with good intentions
But then get lost along the way.

So many anniversaries
Of mass shootings to recognize!
Will the light break through the clouds
Of ignorance? We can only surmise.

-by Bob B (6-14-19)

Remembering the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting:

Stanley Almodovar III, 23
Amanda Alvear, 25
Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
Martin Benitez Torres, 33
Antonio D. Brown, 30
Darryl R. Burt II, 29
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
Luis D. Conde, 39
Cory J. Connell, 21
Tevin E. Crosby, 25
Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50
Deonka D. Drayton, 32
Mercedez M. Flores, 26
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
Juan R. Guerrero, 22
Paul T. Henry, 41
Frank Hernandez, 27
Miguel A. Honorato, 30
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
Jason B. Josaphat, 19
Eddie J. Justice, 30
Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25
Christopher A. Leinonen, 32
Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49
Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35
Akyra Monet Murray, 18
Kimberly Morris, 37
Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27
Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24
Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
Shane E. Tomlinson, 33
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
Luis S. Vielma, 22
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
Jerald A. Wright, 31

The travel-weary pilgrim trudged
Onward toward his goal--
Hoping to find peace and comfort
For his questioning soul.
 
Uphill and downhill, through forests and fields,
Step by step he plodded
Upon the blistering path. While passing
Fellow pilgrims he nodded.
 
Beating down upon him the sun--
Merciless, piercing, terrible--
Made each step an agonizing
Ordeal--harsh and unbearable.
 
A restful night at a hostel or shelter
Was refuge from the pain
Of hours and hours of walking
Through sweltering heat or rain.
 
Some days were kinder--the sun was gentle,
The breeze was soft and cool.
He'd stop and gaze at the blue sky above him
And wash his feet in a pool.
 
But usually hungry and thirsty he journeyed,
Hoping not to find
That after hours of walking and stumbling
He'd left something behind.
 
Loosening the cutting strap of his backpack
And giving his dry lips a lick,
He carefully wiped his dripping brow
And clutched his walking stick.
 
If his pilgrimage didn't bring him
Closer to God, it would
At least bring him closer to himself,
And that alone would be good.

- by Bob B

I read a while back that if climate change
Continues to progress unabated,
The existence of ONE in SIX species
On our planet could be ill-fated.

In other words, one in six
Of Earth's species could disappear
By the end of the 21st century
As conditions become more severe.

As extinctions threaten many species,
Experts exhort us to banish doubts.
Many can't adapt to heat waves,
Rising sea levels, and horrible droughts.

According to scientists, five mass extinctions
Have occurred since this planet's birth.
The next one will be the first
Largely caused by humans on Earth.

Earth--five billion years of age,
And look at the effects of mankind's blight.
Actually, relatively speaking,
We have done this overnight.

Some people say, "Ah, whatever!
By that time I won't be around."
Do these people hear themselves
And know how stupid and selfish they sound?

If we want to save our earth,
We can't survive by constantly taking.
Mankind's modus operandi
Is to push to the point of breaking.

The future of Earth rests in our hands.
What do we want our legacy to be?--
Dwindling food supplies, political chaos,
Polluted land, a poisoned sea?

- by Bob B

Trump has accused Hillary Clinton
Of having practiced pay-to-play;
Once again, he's taking advantage
Of his supporters' naïveté.

So far, he has appointed SIX
Campaign donors to top positions--
A telling move that ought to cause
Many people to have suspicions.

He took on Wall Street during his campaign,
Which would be a major feat.
Now he is offering Cabinet
Jobs to the economic elite!

Millions of dollars will go to Carrier
To save jobs. But did you hear?
The company wants to automate,
So many jobs will disappear.

The "blue-collar billionaire"
Role of Trump is a scam.
He says he's fighting for workers, but
He doesn't give a tinker's ****.

- by Bob B (12-10-16)

"William Barr is my name,
But you can call me AG Barr.
Protecting Donald Trump must be
The highlight of my repertoire.

"I'll defy the rule of law,
And I don't give a **** if I'm--
Despite what others say or think--
A sly accomplice to his crime."

"Lindsey Graham is my name,
Call me Senator Graham, please.
Selling one's soul to the devil is
Where I have my expertise.

"I don't care if Trump's corrupt
Or stretches the truth all the time.
If he furthers my goals, I will
Be an accomplice to his crime."

"Devin Nunes is my name,
But you can just call me Devin.
Having Trump as president
Is a right-wing extremist's heaven.

"If you want to obstruct justice,
Follow the president's paradigm.
Give up your integrity AND
Be an accomplice to his crime."

"Sarah Sanders is my name.
I am THE press secretary.
Whenever I lie for President Trump,
I just say a quick Hail Mary.

"Working for this president
Is something that I'd call sublime.
No one really cares if he
Or she's an accomplice to his crime."

So many people willing to lie--
So many people willing to begrime
Their character and reputations
As accomplices to the president's crime.

-by Bob B (5-5-19)

Let's call it what it is
And NOT cater to far-right haters--
Neo-Nazis, white supremacists,
And KKK demonstrators--

Who in polo shirts and carrying
Tiki torches in the night
Proclaim to us that expressing their hatred
And bigotry is their right.

Let's not legitimize
Efforts to take us back in time--
Efforts to recultivate
A prejudicial paradigm.

Trump and his administration
Of nativists and alt-right advisers,
Have openly given a green light to
Racist rally organizers.

Fringe groups that were somewhat obscured,
Have stepped into the light of day,
Emboldened by what irresponsible
Leaders might say or not say.

People were injured in the discord;
A counter demonstrator was killed.
Let's not allow desires for odious
Racial injustice to be fulfilled.

A president who says he wants
To make American great again
Is really much better at
Making America hate again.

-by Bob B (8-16-17)

"No medicine for me," a patient says.
"If God wants me healthy, He will cure me.
Your pills and your shots and your treatments, Doctor,
Do nothing to comfort or assure me."
 
God notices the woman's stubbornness
And shakes His head in utter disbelief.
"Why doesn't she realize that I gave her
Doctors and medicine to give her relief?"
 
"Why should I help the sick and needy?"
Asks a man. "Let them fulfill
Their own destinies. If I can manage,
Why can't they? It could be God's will."
 
God shakes His head again in amazement.
"Why does he think I came up with compassion
And the concept of sharing and helping others?
Love is not a thing that we ration."
 
A fire approaches a family's home;
The fireman instructs them to leave the vicinity.
The family members refuse to flee
And await a message from their Divinity.
 
"What is wrong with people?" God asks.
"I sent a fireman to protect them from danger.
Why don't they use the reason I gave them?
I swear: Some people grow stranger and stranger."
 
"God told me to hate those people,"
Says a man, carrying a sign.
Spewing his venom, he spreads his lies
Based on reasons he claims are divine.
 
"Who the heck does he think he is
To claim that he knows how I think and feel?"
Cries God, losing patience with people
Whose hateful behavior is far from ideal.
 
"Reason clouded by ego and hatred?
Compassion clouded by anger and greed?
Judgment clouded by irrationality?
Some people really make my heart bleed!
 
"But wait! Somebody else is calling.
What is it now? Is this a mistake?
This one wants help to win SURVIVOR!
Come on, people! Give me a break!"

- by Bob B

The Mueller-led investigation
Continues. Everyone wants to know
If the findings will prove what many
People suspected a year ago.

So much suspicious activity!
So many meetings occurred!
How many shady dealings
With how many people were secured?

We hear that Cambridge Analytica--
The data firm for Trump's campaign--
Reached out to Julian Assange
(Tool of the Kremlin) to obtain

Documents stolen by
A foreign government to attack
Our voting process. And now look:
We're stuck with a megalomaniac!

It sounds very much like collusion
According to every indicator.
What about obstruction of justice?
Oh, well, that came later.

Meanwhile Trump continues to make
False or misleading statements each day
In efforts to bolster his base of support,
Confuse the issues, and lead us astray.

"I'm a very intelligent person,"
He likes to tell us again and again.
(Won't they have fun with that--
The commentators on CNN?)

What is happening defies belief.
The craziness was unforeseen.
Who ever knew the magnitude
Of Trump's propaganda machine?

-by Bob B (10-27-17)

(For Shirley, 10-31-1929 to 7-13-2018)

Countless stars light up our lives
And fill our hearts with brightness and splendor.
Sometimes they flash with sparkling brilliance;
Sometimes their rays are gentle and tender.

A star to me was my cousin Shirley,
Whose comforting warmth and radiant glow
Outshone even our glorious sun.
Anybody who knew her would know.

Emitting the light of true compassion,
She never let the darkness prevail
Or woefully impose restrictions
On love impossible to curtail.

And, oh, that love shone on so many.
From a place close by or even from afar,
Shirley's loving-kindness would touch you
As though you'd been touched by the warmth of a star.

But stars do not shine forever.
One sad day their brightness will fade.
Shirley's light was extinguished this week.
Though death is something we cannot evade,

The light of love that Shirley spread
On all who knew her still glows and gleams.
It fills our hearts with goodness and kindness;
It gives us hope; it guides and redeems.

The most spectacular sunrise that ever
Spread across the New Mexican skies
Would still be no match for the beauty of Shirley,
Her smile, or the love that poured from her eyes.

Rest in peace, beautiful cousin.

-by Bob B (7-13-18)

Eight at night and the doorbell rang,
And THERE right before my face
Was a newspaper—almost touching my nose
And barely giving me breathing space.
 
“Here’s your free paper,” I heard a voice say.
I stepped back to read the name of the rag.
At once in my mind I realized that
The name of the paper had raised a red flag.
 
“Sorry, but I don’t read that one.
Anyway, thank you for your time,”
I said to the kid as I started to close
The door, but the kid blurted out, “I’m
 
Hoping that you’ll subscribe to my paper.
Sign up right here; you won’t regret it.”
I shook my head in amazement and said,
“Do you know what? I don’t get it:
 
“I just told you that I don’t read it,
So why would I want to buy a subscription?”
The frustrated kid refused to take NO
For an answer and started to have a conniption.
 
“BUT...just do it for me!” he cried.
“The more I sell, the better my luck
In winning a trip to Hawaii; what’s more,
I’m also trying to earn a buck.”
 
At THIS point I was the frustrated one.
I thought to myself, This guy’s too much!
He’s completely clueless; moreover, he’s acting
Like a son of a such and such!
 
“Good luck with your sales,” I politely said.
“But wait, I’ll wash your car!” he cried.
“I’ll mow your grass; I’ll trim your trees.”
“NO thanks, AND good-by,” I replied.
 
Exasperated he bellowed out,
“I need this sale to up my score!”
I calmly said, “This conversation
Is over,” as I closed the door.
 
I didn’t hear him walk away;
For all I know he could be there still
Pushing his paper, trying to earn
More points but actually scoring nil.
 
While the kid lacked tact and subtlety,
I doubt he’d ever take my advice.
A bit more sense would serve him well,
And a little less pushiness would suffice.
 
A future politician? I wondered.
Or maybe a future billionaire?
Whatever the case, he's got chutzpah,
I thought as I returned to my chair.

- by Bob B

(This poem can be sung to the tune of the traditional Scottish folk song "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean.")

D.T.:
“Oh, I have no problem with war crimes,
Though some people might disagree.
That anything goes is my doctrine.
No, war crimes do not bother me.

(Chorus)
“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Some people frown upon torture.
They think it's cruel and perverse.
But I think that it can be useful.
Restrictive rules are such a curse.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Terrorists are a big nuisance.
But one way to spoil their plots
Is to go after their loved ones.
Then they might have second thoughts.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Soldiers out there who've committed
War crimes are heroes, you see.
I'll gladly give them a pardon
‘Cause war crimes do not bother me.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.

“To leaders who rule other countries,
Listen to me, for I swear
I'll bomb your cultural centers.
Let ALL the world's nations beware.

“War crimes, war crimes,
Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.
War crimes, war crimes,
No, war crimes do not bother me.”

-by Bob B (1-8-20)

President Trump's first day
In office wouldn't allay your fears
If you've been worried about what we'll
Be seeing for the next four years.

Press Secretary Spicer,
Who's called upon to do Trump's bidding,
Had one major concern:
Crowd size! I'm not kidding!

Spicer castigated the media,
Saying that they had underreported
The size of Inauguration Day crowds.
The figures, he said, were greatly distorted.

Spicer insisted that Donald Trump's
Inauguration crowds had been
The largest that had ever witnessed
Such an event.^ Once again

Trump's insecurities
And hurt ego take front stage.
The media merely report the facts
And he flies into a rage.

Facts are facts: President Obama's
Numbers were greater. But NO big deal.
Instead of putting out a tweet,
Trump had Spicer deliver his spiel.

The numbers are not that important.
What's important is whether Trump can
Set aside his petty gripes.
Is that beyond the scope of the man?

- by Bob B (1-22-17)

^Spicer had said the following: "This was the largest audience ever to witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe." Just awkwardly worded, or intentionally vague?

If Trump wants to read Fire and Fury
I would suggest that he hurry.
The next exposé
Will be more risqué
And give him more reason to worry.

Was Donald Trump feeling forlorn,
And afterwards did he feel torn,
From having a fling
And feeling like king
With one of the hot queens of ****?

If Bannon would do what he oughtta,
He'd check out his list of errata,
For now he has learned
How it feels to get burned
And be Trump's persona non grata.

From watching the news on the tele
We're seeing much more of John Kelly.
Our first thoughts of him
Were not quite so grim,
But he's become Machiavelli.

Trump was really obsessed
With proving his mind was the best.
His cognitive exam
Was probably a sham,
And most people are not impressed.

A leader went out on a limb
And joined a new fitness gym.
"Forget it!" he said.
"I'd rather be dead.
To hell with me being slim."

-by Bob B (1-21-18)