I'm so tired of scammers!
There are so many around!
For every situation,
A scammer is to be found.

There's the email message
From a "friend" stuck overseas
Whose money has been stolen--
Who needs your help, please.

Have you received the phone call
Saying that you're in big trouble
With the I.R.S. and insisting
That you must pay on the double?

Computer hackers will take
Your PC hostage and say
That you'll lose ALL your computer
Data unless you pay.

What about being a winner
Of a contest? All you must do
Is forward them some money
And they'll send the "winnings" to you.

If you by chance get a call
From "Microsoft" or "Dell"
Saying your account's in danger,
Tell them to go to hell.

Scamming probably reaches
Far back into history.
The demise of the Neanderthals
Might not have been a mystery.

Did early **** sapiens
With carefully planned persistence
Scam neanderthalensis
Out of its earthly existence?

If scammers had put their know-how
In a positive direction,
We could say, "Three cheers
For natural selection!"

But, no, we're stuck with scammers--
A problem that clearly shows
That if we want to survive,
We've got to be on our toes!

- by Bob B

Telephone scams are driving me crazy--
Both on my landline and on my cell!
I'm on the verge of telling every
Pesky caller to go to hell!

The IRS is after me.
Oh, the message sounds so dire.
The person says I'd better respond
Or I will be in big trouble. Liar!

Or a recording tells me that my
Router has been hacked, and so
If I don't call them right away,
They'll shut my router down. Oh, no!

A caller claims he's from HP
And says that they know for sure
That my computer has a virus.
I want to say he's full of manure.

Another swears he's calling from
The FBI, demanding money
Because I'm being investigated.
I must pay, or else! Funny!

Because you've managed to make our lives
So miserable, scammers, I swear:
There has to be a special place
In hell for you. You'd better beware!

-by Bob B (8-23-18)

Total shock, I say, what occurred
At our local aquarium in recent years.
Some call it the type of scandal
That violently shakes two hemispheres.

Henry and Roxy had been an item.
Much older than she, Henry was bound
To guard and protect his little lady.
A more loyal penguin was hard to be found.

How they loved to sing together!
He would belt out and she would intone.
The happy couple frolicked and preened--
Happy not to be alone.

Molting season came and Roxy
Experienced her catastrophic molt.
Henry stood by and guarded his sweetheart.
Of attentiveness he lacked not a jolt.

Roxy's feathers soon returned
And there she was in all her glory.
Then poor Henry started his molt.
That's when Floyd entered the story.

While Henry hid from penguin view,
Floyd caught Roxy's eyes.
His feathers were back in abundance.
What happened next? You can surmise.

When Henry's feathers finally returned,
Floyd had become Roxy's new mate.
They did what penguin couples do
While Henry sadly accepted his fate.

The new family soon multiplied,
And Henry eventually found a new friend.
What started out as an outrageous scandal
Wasn't so horrible in the end.

Scandals come and scandals go.
Some of them are hard to avoid.
Aren't you glad that you don't molt
Like our friends Henry and Roxy and Floyd?

- by Bob B

He longs to rewrite history--
For us to see the world through his eyes,
With help from his favorite TV station,
Which scandalously spreads his lies.

He'd love to control the media,
Eliminating the critics who
Point out his flaws. Watch him try
To shoot one on Fifth Avenue.

He caters to his oligarchs--
To those who use their power and wealth
To fill their pockets and gain control,
Often through fraudulence and stealth.

He uses kowtowing appointees to help
Create dirt on his critics to draw
As ugly a picture as he can
And violates the rule of law.

When we have a national
Emergency, and things look dim,
He does his best to cover up
The truth and makes it all about him.

He even wants political
Opponents to be locked away.
Yep, Trump is acting more
Like Vladimir Putin every day.

-by Bob B (5-15-20)

Was Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens'
Christmas Carol purely fictitious?
No, Scrooges live today,
Equally greedy, cold and ambitious.

They represent Scrooge before
He earned our admiration and saw
That human compassion came only after
His ice-cold heart had begun to thaw.

His transformation showed him his former
Cruel disregard for humanity
And let him see that miserliness
Was nothing but a heartless insanity.

Modern Scrooges fail to see
The light of compassion that brightly outshines them.
Their greed prevents them from seeing the moral
Bankruptcy that clearly defines them.

They couldn't care less about
The hard-working and struggling masses.
Their main concern is that each law
That benefits the wealthy passes.

Some of these Scrooges you will find
Working in Congress, eagerly serving
Wealthy donors who give them money
And feel as though they're more deserving.

Creating laws to make their pockets
Overflow: that's their aim.
To them the parasitical poor
Deserve bitter contempt and blame.

One wonders if these greedy misers
Find it hard to resist the temptation
Of saying, "Then why not let them die
And decrease the surplus population?"

“Aren't there workhouses?” and “Aren't there prisons?”
Are what these Scrooges appear to say.
“Concerns of the poor are not our business;
Why can’t they just go away?”

Ebenezer Scrooge was lucky:
His transformation showed him the light.
Will wealthy Scrooges running this country
Discover compassion and be less tight?

-by Bob B (12-28-17)

This is January 6.
Just two years ago today
Mobs of insurrectionists
Made an ugly, brutal display:

They stormed the U.S. Capitol
All because of a president's lie--
An EX-president now, that is,
Who hasn't stopped his attempts to deny

Election results from 2020.
Oh, and his supporters still
Travel south to kiss his ring,
Sing his praises, and bend to his will.

He doesn't care whose life he threatens
When making scathing, untruthful remarks.
He doesn't care what kind of damage
One of his dangerous comments sparks.

So how far have we come since then--
Since the day of the insurrection?
There has been an investigation,
And there has been a midterm election.

Still too many election deniers
Have seats in Congress and fan the flames
Of discontent, by pushing falsehoods
And making truly obnoxious claims.

The main culprit lives in his mansion,
Entertaining extremists and kooks
And thinking that he is above the law.
His foes still get his constant rebukes.

People have come forth to speak.
Folks have been convicted of crimes.
Democracy, when under attack,
Must strive to survive such scary times.

Praise to those who have spoken out,
Undaunted by threats, unafraid.
When ALL have been held accountable,
Then REAL progress will have been made.

-by Bob B (1-6-23)

For far too long Trump has gotten
Away with far too much.
For years, he has thought he is
Someone the law can't touch.

As president, he thought he'd get
Away with anything.
Ask the far-right extremists whom
He's taken under his wing.

He thinks that running for president
Means his chances are slim
That all the crimes he might have committed
Are going to catch up with him.

By yelling "Witch hunt!" and lying he hopes
That prosecutors will cower.
There is nothing I know of that
Can quench his thirst for power.

How stupid does he think we are--
Voters here in the States--
When he supports his fake electors?
That's how he operates.

In different states he's facing charges.
Watch each news report.
For a number of months he will be
Spending some time in court.

Prosecutors, do your work.
Juries, listen hard.
Trump's attorneys will grasp at straws.
You'd best be on your guard.

He MUST be held accountable;
If guilty, he should pay.
May the rule of law win out;
May justice win the day!

-by Bob B (7-29-23)

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)

How you shine your light on the world,
Your energy and self-expression,
Your sense of purpose, your urge to create,
Your individual, lasting impression,

Your essential values, the way
You try to relate to everyone,
How you cope, and how you see life--
That's all symbolized by your SUN.

The image that you have of yourself,
Your subconscious predispositions,
How you fulfill emotional needs,
How you respond to certain conditions,

Your sense of belonging, how you like
The feelings of being inside your cocoon,
Your longing for security…
That's all symbolized by your MOON.

Communication, your conscious mind,
Your logic, your reason, and how you think,
How you establish connections with others
With whom you want to remain in sync,

The manner in which you express your perceptions,
Your intellectual give and take
Are symbolized by your MERCURY,
Which loves learning for its own sake.

Your need to establish relationships,
Your sharing, your giving and your receiving,
Your values, your tastes, your urge for pleasure,
Your knowledge that harmony's worth achieving,

Your sense of collaboration, your need
For comfort with all that it emphasizes,
Your strong desire to protect those you love--
That's what your VENUS symbolizes.

What about your will-power,
Your strong initiative and drive,
Your self-assertion, your energy,
The power that makes you feel alive,

Your sense of individualism,
Your urge to reach beyond the stars,
Your action, impatience, and petulance, too?
That's all symbolized by your MARS.

When you want to expand your horizons,
When limitations would be a horror,
When you have an urgent need
To improve yourself and be an explorer,

When connecting with something else
That's greater than you can make your day,
When you are hopeful and optimistic,
Your JUPITER is having a say.

Is there a need for social approval,
For discipline and organization?
Are you a little fearful of change
And seek to establish a solid foundation?

Do rules and boundaries give you peace?
Do you find virtue in follow-through?
Can you be a bit rigid at times?
If so, then SATURN is working through you.

Perhaps you're feeling slightly eccentric,
A bit detached, in need of a change.
Maybe you're being a non-conformist,
And others find you a little bit strange.

Are you feeling rebellious and willful
And wanting to break with the status quo?
Are you impulsive, intense, or restless?
Then your URANUS has you in tow.

If you're a dreamer who's somewhat elusive,
Compassionate, and idealistic,
Who wants to be free from your ego-self
And tap into a life that's artistic,

And if you have the urge to assist
Those who suffer from exclusion,
Let your NEPTUNE energy flow.
Just watch out for escapist delusion.

Perhaps you want to penetrate
The psychological depths of being
And also feel a transformation
Of consciousness--a new way of seeing;

Maybe you want to analyze life,
Let go of the old, question taboos,
Explore compulsions, and try to transmute them
Into new form. Then PLUTO's your muse.

By tapping into the energies
That flow through us and make us whole,
We can grow from our self-knowledge
And self-exploration--a wonderful goal.

-by Bob B (2-23-22)

Watch as Republican members of Congress
Hammer out the specifications
For tax cuts favoring the rich, along with
Giant cuts for corporations.

Though economic inequality
Reaches scary, outlandish extremes,
A system rigged against the majority
Shapes the politicians' dreams.

Bogus studies, lobbyists,
And lavish campaign contributions
Sway our politicians' efforts
To come up with taxation solutions.

Tax havens, loopholes, and dodges
Are great for you if you are rich.
When you can avoid paying taxes
On profits abroad, you've found your niche.

If our taxation system doesn't
Force people to pay their fair share,
Education and social security
Will suffer, along with Medicare

And Medicaid. If that happens,
It's not difficult to foretell
Who will benefit most and who
Hasn't got a chance in hell.

Do members of Congress care about us?
I have to say that it makes my blood boil
To watch them sell what some people call
"Supply-side snake oil."

Buy the snake oil if you choose to.
Unless you're rich, you'll regret it.
The system can ***** us royally,
But ONLY if the voters let it.

-by Bob B (8-27-17)

Crime is up in D.C., says Trump,
And so he wants the National Guard
To take control of our capital.
Typical Trump: no holds barred.

Crime is actually DOWN in D.C.,
But there's a place where crime runs rife--
Where it is basically par for the course--
Where it is merely a way of life--

Where ***-traffickers congregate
And party with their scumbag friends--
Where victims are groomed and lives are shattered
And perpetrators won't make amends--

Where classified documents were once found
Lying around for guests' perusal--
Where the owner would be adept
At teaching a course: How to Bamboozle--

Where anti-democratic plotters
Plan how they will fleece the country,
How they'll support a corrupt regime,
And how troops will police the country.

The place is owned by an infamous felon--
A mob don, kingpin, crime boss type,
Who chases after any critic
With whom he has the slightest gripe--

Who also is an extortionist
And wants us all to bend to his will--
Corporations, places of learning,
And legislators on Capitol Hill.

So get the troops out of D.C.
And send them to the Florida coast
To crime-ridden Mar-a-Lago.
THAT'S where they are needed the most.

-by Bob B (8-21-25)

Sadly, we can see that in Congress,
Republicans still have a bone
To pick with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
They CANNOT leave him alone.

As much as the doctor has tried to do
To save Americans' lives
During the recent COVID pandemic,
Ignorance still thrives.

Far-right extremists in the House,
Instead of legislating,
Are wasting energy and time
Being nauseating.

It's really hard to listen to
Their baseless accusations,
Paranoid, nonsensical rants,
And ludicrous speculations.

They won't admit that they've been wrong
And even say they're sorry
For persecuting a doctor whose
Reputation is starry.

Instead, they'll put their trust in a man
Who said that viral infections
Could perhaps be treated if we
All took bleach injections!

Because of all the senseless attacks
That have taken place,
Dr. Fauci has received
Death threats from Trump's base.

Let's elect people to Congress
Who wisely use their positions
To focus on laws that help all people
And not just the politicians.

-by Bob B (6-4-24)

Yes, it has been in the news
And from reliable sources, too.
For some people it's all about
The worship of money and revenue.

Certain Trumplicans maintain
That some of us are really dispensable
And ought to sacrifice our lives.
Such ideas are reprehensible!

They say that we who are up there in age
Ought to do our part to save
The world by going to work every day,
Even though it could mean the grave.

By working during the current pandemic,
We can keep the economy going.
Never mind the lives that are lost;
Just keep that money flowing.

"Come on, Grandpa and Grandma," they say,
"Do this for your grandkids now.
They will love your noble gesture."
And then they bow to their sacred cow.

Money over human lives:
That's what this is all about.
If you think that's a good idea,
Then go to work, but count me out!

-by Bob B (3-29-20)

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

Shadow is a scaredy-cat,
His tough appearance a masquerade.
It takes little to scare him, for even
His own shadow makes him afraid.

Loud noises terrify him.
The telephone rings, a door slams,
A horn honks, fireworks go off,
The vacuum roars and Shadow scrams.

When guests come to pay a visit,
As soon as Shadow hears the sound
Of a knock on the door or the ring of the doorbell,
The scaredy-cat's nowhere to be found.

Under a bed, behind a couch,
Deep in the closet--out of sight--
Shadow waits in the grip of panic,
His green eyes open wide with fright.

One would think that by this time
Shadow's fears would be subsiding.
However, as long as he hears strange voices,
He remains in his places of hiding.

As soon as guests have left the house,
Shadow appears, looking as though
He's saying to his insensitive masters,
"Why do you have to torment me so?"

Whatever is out of the ordinary
To Shadow is an impending threat.
Imagine the pandemonium
Whenever he has to see the vet.

Nobody knows why Shadow's so fearful.
Deep in his past was something traumatic?
His doctor can't begin to explain
Why his behavior is so erratic.

Who can fathom the mind of a cat?
Something frightening must have spooked him.
The sad effects of a horrible nightmare?
Had someone long ago harshly rebuked him?

Astrologers looked at his birth chart to find
What could have caused his alarming neurosis.
“Mercury square Saturn,” they said,
And then they recommended hypnosis.

A Tarot card reader saw the Hermit
And the Eight of Swords, both reversed,
Flanked by the Moon and the Nine of Wands.
“My goodness!” she cried. “The poor cat’s cursed!”

A local preacher dropped by and said,
“I can pray this problem away.”
He then proceeded to speak in tongues.
It didn’t work, needless to say.

If you have a list of suggestions,
Do him a favor and check your list.
If Shadow is going to shake off his fears,
He's going to need a therapist.

-by Bob B (2-1-20)

J.D. Vance is trying to
Pretend he's getting tougher.
All he's doing is being Trump's
Enthusiastic fluffer.

CHORUS:
Shady J.D., if you can,
Why not try to be a man,
Instead of being a spineless simp--
Trump's sycophantic wimp?

It's scary what is happening
In these crazy times.
We merely have to think that folks
Are committing crimes,

And once we have suspected that,
We take the easy route:
Without due process, what do we do?
Hell, we ***** them out.

J.D. Vance thinks that's so cool.
When people throw a fit
And say that's wrong, Vance replies,
"I don't give a sh*t."

CHORUS:
Shady J.D., if you can,
Why not try to be a man,
Instead of being a spineless simp--
Trump's sycophantic wimp?

To pick a fight with Venezuela
Is Trump's current goal.
And J.D. Vance has followed Trump
Down the rabbit hole.

Their desire for power is both
Shocking and perverse.
But their disdain for human life?
That is even worse.

Unbelievable the havoc
Both of them have wreaked.
No, we're not the mouse that roared;
We're the lion that squeaked.

CHORUS:
Shady J.D., if you can,
Why not try to be a man,
Instead of being a spineless simp--
Trump's sycophantic wimp?

-by Bob B (9-9-25)

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

Shame on the Republicans--
Those who want to abandon Ukraine.
Shame on those who cater to
A Russian leader who's inhumane.

Shame on them for being swayed
By Putin's propaganda, for he
Has shown contempt for anyone
Who threatens his authority.

Shame on them for holding up
The passing of bills to offer assistance
To the Ukrainian cause as the people
Fight to defend their very existence.

Instead of siding with Putin, those
Republicans should open their eyes
And see how dangerous it is
For them to fall for all of his lies.

Instead of sitting on their hands,
They should see where inaction leads.
They will help secure the West
By giving Ukraine the help it needs.

With the assistance of NATO, Ukraine
Has vowed to fight to the bitter end.
Republicans in Congress should know
That Vladimir Putin is NOT our friend.

-by Bob B (4-10-24)

Shhh! The Trump administration
Doesn't want you to know
One reason why Donald Trump's
Approval ratings are low.

What they're doing is very much
A gaslighting technique.
Their talk on tariffs truly is
Political doublespeak.

The tariff war that Trump has started
Will NOT raise prices, they say.
Do they realize that we
Were NOT born yesterday?

Prices indeed are rising and workers'
Jobs are at risk. What's more,
Small businesses are hurting
As costs are starting to soar.

Tourism is slowing down.
Bankruptcies will occur.
Instead of helping businesses, Trump's
A business saboteur.

The tariffs are hitting farmers hard;
They don't know how to plan.
It's easy for them to identify
The real bogeyman.

If countries want a tariff war,
Trump says we'll defeat them.
Regarding the tariffs, he keeps saying
That China is going to eat them.

Whoever thinks that's going to happen
Hasn't been paying attention.
That CEOs are caving in
Is also worthy of mention.

But shhh! Don't talk of rising prices,
Or Trump will be irate.
If you upset the king, he will
Want your head on a plate.

-by Bob B (4-30-25)

So disgusting: A pesky fly
That hangs around as if to say,
"It doesn't matter HOW repulsive
You find me; I am NOT going away."

Intruding upon our privacy,
It thinks it's so important, so when
We try to shoo the pest away,
It just comes back again and again.

"Get out of our lives!" we want to scream.
"You've been around here FAR too long!"
Then when we think it has disappeared,
We suddenly find that ****! we were wrong.

So persistent at being a nuisance,
It doesn't mind being reprimanded.
Just imagine where it has been,
The things it has touched, and where it has landed.

"What is its purpose," we ask ourselves,
"Other than to cause distress--
To work its way into our lives
And leave behind a major mess?"

It hangs around with similar flies
That seem to have a similar goal:
To leave their disgusting mark on whatever
They touch and try to stay in control.

It has no sense of self-awareness,
So how the hell did it EVER get backing?
When it was more prominent, it
Evaded attempts to send it packing.

Finally, we thought that we
Had shooed the fly away forever.
But, alas, the pest returned.
Flies are more persistent than clever.

How do you rid yourself of a pesky
Fly that refuses to leave the scene?
Acknowledge how big a bother it is,
And then construct a protective screen.

-by Bob B (10-6-21)

Eleven dead; six injured.
How does a person try to explain
The enormity of such a crime--
The inexplicable loss, the pain?

All were shot at a place of worship--
At a synagogue in Pittsburgh, P-A,
On what began as a peaceful morning
On a late October Sabbath day.

Early that morning no one could have
Imagined the horror the day would bring,
Even though we live in a time
When hatred seems to be in full swing.

It takes only ONE hater
To change the course of many lives
In a country where underneath
The peaceful appearance, violence thrives.

The president says that armed guards
Are what we need and not tougher laws.
He bows before the gun lobby,
Addressing the symptoms, but not the cause.

Helping refugees get settled:
For that the synagogue is known.
That was an issue that irked the killer,
Who was from here. Yes, homegrown!

Do we ignore red flag warnings
And turn our heads when someone spews
Hatred of groups such as Muslims,
Asylum seekers, gays, or Jews?

Do we ignore the poisonous words
That constantly drip down from the top?
At what point do the majority
Of people say: This must stop!

Give praise to those who strive for positive
Change with every heartfelt endeavor.
And hold in your heart the many people
Whose lives have now been changed forever.
_______

May the victims' lives inspire us all by showing us the power of love,
and may they rest in peace.

Joyce Fienberg
Richard Gottfried
Rose Mallinger
Jerry Rabinowitz
Cecil Rosenthal
David Rosenthal
Bernice Simon
Sylvan Simon
Daniel Stein
Melvin Wax
Irving Younger

And may thoughts of love and healing embrace the injured.

-by Bob B (10-28-18)

The government shutdown drags on and on.
The president remains fixated
On building his wall on the southern border--
His arguments all fabricated.

His speech--sounding like Stephen Miller--
Interrupted prime-time TV.
In efforts to shore up his base and win
More support, he made his plea.

A litany of Stephen Miller
Scare stories does not move
An audience who's on to their tactics--
Who sees what they're trying to prove--

That we have a humanitarian
Crisis here. No mistaking.
However, the crisis happens to be
A crisis of the president's making!

Using false statistics, the president
Tried to establish his flimsy case.
The con artist hoped to convince
Others beyond his regular base.

Once he said that he would be
Responsible for the shutdown, but that's
Immaterial now, for he
Is blaming the "evil" Democrats.

The Democrats are all for border
Security, to Trump's surprise.
But he is so obsessed with his "wall,"
That he can't see beyond his lies.

To hold the government hostage has been
Trump's tactic to get his way.
What we've seen in the past few weeks
Is a childish tantrum on display.

Hopefully, more people of conscience
Will cut and run from the president's side--
Tired of manufactured crises,
And tired of being taken for a ride.

-by Bob B (1-9-19)

Trump keeps talking and talking and talking,
Hoping his statements will serve as a tool--
A self-fulfilling prophecy--
To tamper with the jury pool.

He's also trying to stir up his base.
He thinks he'll get away with whatever
He says to discredit our courts, our system.
Let's hope he's being more foolish than clever.

His campaign trail is going to be crazy
With detours to visit court after court.
One would think he would be more careful,
But keeping quiet is not his forte.

Trump can bully, berate, and disparage
Others, yet when he is criticized,
He plays the poor, innocent victim
Who doesn't deserve to be so despised.

The judge has got to put a stop
To all his nonsense. What will it take?
A sock? A muzzle? Some time in jail?
How to subdue a venomous snake….

He will NOT stop talking, he says.
You'd think he'd be on a slippery *****.
Will it all come back to bite him?
Let's cross our fingers and hang on to hope.

-by Bob B (8-9-23)

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (6-29-20)

Sidestep’s a political cat--
Seldom around when you need him.
But it never fails: he is there
When it's time to feed him.

Early on, his mother knew
He'd be a politician.
As a kitten, he proved to be
A glib rhetorician.

He could talk his siblings out of
Any treat or favor.
He quickly learned what went down fast
And what he needed to savor.

In kitten school, he highly excelled.
Though not an expert reader,
He was good at giving orders,
For he was a natural leader.

When it came to loyalties,
You barely knew where he stood.
He was known as the "cagey one"
Throughout the neighborhood.

Now he thinks that caterwauling
Expresses his constitution,
And he has devoted time to perfecting
The art of circumlocution.

When you think you've pinned him down,
Much to your dismay,
He evades your prying questions
And suddenly slips away.

His donors, extolling his policies,
Are proud to be in his tribe.
What they might call a major donation,
Others call a bribe.

"Donations" consist of a dying lizard,
A tasty, half-eaten mouse,
Or a scrumptious piece of grasshopper
Next to the door of the house.

When the spotlight shines on him,
Oh, how his eyes glisten!
But sometimes he talks way too much
And doesn't like to listen.

He maintains his strategies
Are crucial for survival.
Thus, he looks for ways to smear
Any political rival.

He thinks he is quite the card.
However, opinions are split.
Though liked by some, many think
He's really full of spit.

"You will always win with me!"
Is one of his favorite quotes.
He hopes his fake sincerity
Will win him a lot of votes.

Sidestep runs a messy campaign
As he stands in front of the flag.
He just hopes that no one lets
The cat out of the bag.

-by Bob B (1-31-20)

(This poem can be sung to the tune of "There's No Business like Show Business" by Irving Berlin.)

Let's GO ridin' with JOE Biden
'Cause JOE Biden's a pro.
Four years of the Trumps have been appalling,
Full of scandals, chaos, and despair.
I am sick and tired of Trump's stonewalling.
A second term would be too much to bear.

And SO sidin' with JOE Biden
Means YOU already know:
If we want a president who knows the score,
Who knows what the rule of law is for--
The kind of guy who has us coming back for more--
Then let's all vote for Joe!

The nonsense, the bluster, corruption, false claims,
The cover-ups that cover up their crimes,
Betrayals, deception, abuses, the games,
The lack of guidance in these worst of times…
The Trumplicans keep trying to suppress
The voters and have made an awful mess.

We KNOW sidin' with JOE Biden
Will END four years of woe.
Biden really knows the Constitution
And wouldn't use the White House as a prop.
The Biden/Harris ticket's the solution
If you want the nonsense all to stop.

And SO stick it to TRUMP'S ticket;
With JOE'S ticket you'll know
You will find a president who hates deceit,
Who has compassion and does not cheat,
And who won't sit around and watch Fox News and tweet,
So let's all vote for Joe;
So let's all vote for Joe!

-by Bob B (8-29-20)

Hateful rhetoric incites hateful actions;
Some don't like to admit it, but it's true.
Wintry blasts provide few satisfactions
And turn unprotected fingers blue.

Averting one's glance suggests a transient solution.
Keeping oneself aloof can cause dismay.
Failure to address an issue such as pollution
Will not make the problem go away.

Insinuations challenge understanding--
Leaving reputations scarred or bruised.
Honesty is blameless but demanding,
Though tactfulness can often be excused.

Sincerity soothes our expectations
And overwhelms verbal attacks or girds.
Silence has double applications
And often speaks much louder than our words.

- 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.

The temple was swarming with total excitement.
Eagerly, the scholars awaited
The young priest's Dharma talk--
A day long anticipated.

The nervous priest stood before
The sangha as varied as the songs of the birds--
From simple folk to top-notch scholars,
There to scrutinize all of his words.

With a quivering voice, he started out.
After he felt more self-confidence,
He spoke as one who demonstrated
Compassion, knowledge, and commonsense.

After the service, a group of scholars
Stood in a cluster off to the side
And criticized the young priest's talk
With words arrogant and snide.

"So typical of a novice," they said.
"Shallow ideas." "Trivial thoughts."
"I didn't find it moving at all."
"Choppy and uneven in spots."

An elderly man heard their complaints
And asked, "What was so unclear?
The young priest said the Buddha's name.
That was all I needed to hear."

With that, he silently walked away,
Leaving them with a message so brief.
Speechless, they stared at the wise myokonin°°
With a mixture of awe and disbelief.

-by Bob B (9-9-18)
°Based on an old Buddhist anecdote
°°In the Shin Buddhist tradition, pious followers whose simple words represent the depth of their faith

Sing, Democracy! Sing your song!
Let your voice be loud and clear.
Resist the onslaught of vicious attacks
On all the values that you hold dear.

Sing, Democracy! Let the sound
Of freedom muffle the sounds of suppression.
Do not cower when threatened by
Corrupt abuse of power and aggression.

Sing, Democracy! Do not let
Extremists stifle your beautiful voice.
When your music overpowers
The sounds of tyranny, rejoice!

Sing, Democracy, louder yet
When voices of ignorance try to subdue
Your song of hope for humanity,
For you know what is honest and true.

Sing, Democracy! Everywhere,
Let truth, honor, and freedom thrive.
But always know that you must be
Vigilant if you want to survive.

Sing, Democracy, lest your voice
Be stifled forever, and all you've known
About the value of freedom and justice
Turns to a whimper and dies with a moan.

-by Bob B (12-18-19)

Sing, Michael! Sing your song.
Let your voice be loud and clear.
Yes, you might have done some wrong,
But now what have you got to fear?

Suborning perjury, tax evasion,
Bank fraud, insurance fraud…
And yet your previous boss continues
To hide behind his MAGA façade.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg,
For we can guess what else he's done.
We wait for more revealing details
On Individual Number One.

What ever possessed you to be
The fixer for a conman who
Lies to us--the American people?
Did you not know what would ensue?

Illegal campaign contributions
Don't upset his supporters at all.
Their main concern is that their man's
In office and that he'll build his wall.

You have seen how his Republican
Goon squad in Congress has his back,
And how the members will lie and cheat
To help the megalomaniac?

You must face the consequences
For what you've done, but pray tell,
Will he have to pay for all
The illegal things he's done as well?

So you've lied for the president.
Maybe the truth will set you free.
We are patiently waiting for
The results of Mueller's inquiry.

So sing, Michael! Sing your song.
Let your voice be loud and clear.
Yes, you might have done some wrong,
But now what have you got to fear?

-by Bob B (3-1-19)

They marched together; they marched strong,
With flags, signs, and banners waving.
They marched in sun, snow, and rain
To speak out for rights and causes worth saving.

The Women's March on Washington
Became a world phenomenon
Occurring in seven continents.
May the powerful memory live on!

Women, men, and children with
Determination undeterred
Peacefully rallied together,
Letting their mighty voices be heard.

Echoing through the cities' canyons
And filling city parks and squares,
Their voices loudly demanded that leaders
Listen to democracy's heirs.

When people's rights are under attack,
When greed-driven politicians
Bow to Wall Street and corporations,
Ignoring the struggling people's petitions,

The people then must raise their voices
And hope that their peaceful protest starts
A major shift in understanding--
A positive change in lawmakers' hearts.

The protesters clearly spoke:
We must protect democracy
From the threatening ravages
Of plutoc-, corpoc-, or kakistocracy.

Onward, marchers. Don't give up.
You have a voice; let it ring
From east to west, from north to south.
Sing out, people! Sing! Sing!

- by Bob B (1-22-17)

They marched together; they marched strong,
With flags, signs, and banners waving.
They marched in sun, snow, and rain
To speak out for rights and causes worth saving.

The Women's March on Washington
Became a world phenomenon
Occurring on seven continents.
May the powerful memory live on!

Women, men, and children with
Determination undeterred
Peacefully rallied together,
Letting their mighty voices be heard.

Echoing through the cities' canyons
And filling city parks and squares,
Their voices loudly demanded that leaders
Listen to democracy's heirs.

When people's rights are under attack,
When greed-driven politicians
Bow to Wall Street and corporations,
Ignoring the struggling people's petitions,

The people then must raise their voices
And hope that their peaceful protest starts
A major shift in understanding--
A positive change in lawmakers' hearts.

The protesters clearly spoke:
We must protect democracy
From the threatening ravages
Of plutoc-, corpoc-, or kakistocracy.

They'll march again in 2018.
They'll march to show that it has never
Been more urgent, for now there are
More reasons to march than ever.

Onward, marchers. Don't give up.
You have a voice; let it ring
From east to west, from north to south.
Sing out, people! Sing! Sing!

(1-22-17, 1-13-18) By Bob B

*This is an update and reposting of my Jan 2017 poem

Sing out, nation of IMMIGRANTS!
Sing your glorious song
Of how this country was built—
Of what made this nation strong.
 
Sing about all the challenges
And hardships our ancestors found
When trying to build their lives
And get their feet on the ground.
 
Sing of the PERSECUTION
That drove them out of fear
To abandon their native homelands
And often haunted them here.
 
Sing of the Native Americans—
Of the proud and varied nations—
Displaced from their territories,
And forced into reservations.
 
Sing of our fellow Americans
Originally brought here by force;
Let the melody echo
Kindness and REMORSE.
 
Sing of the jobless, the homeless,
Whose families suffered the bane
Of a harsh, cruel existence
And here sought relief from their pain.
 
Sing of the countless refugees
Who fled from war-torn places,
Hoping to live in PEACE
In a land of welcoming embraces.
 
Sing of the life of the immigrant
Who faced prejudice and jeers—
Whose struggles for rights and acceptance
Sometimes lasted for years.
 
Sing of the factory workers
Who worked under hellish conditions—
Whose voices were long unheard
By the deaf ears of politicians.
 
Sing of the plight of the miners
Who extracted the underground coal—
Of the dangers that they encountered
As they worked in that dark, dusty hole.
 
Sing of the laborers from Asia,
Who helped lay our tracks—that’s a fact—
And to whom we showed our thanks
With the Chinese Exclusion Act.
 
Think of the German, Norwegian...
All farmers who tilled the soil
To feed a nation that took
For granted their sweat and toil.
 
Sing of those working in fields,
Because of whose work you are able
To place with minimum effort
Fresh strawberries on your table.
 
Sing about all of the workers—
Such as the ones that you
Hire to do the work
That you refuse to do.
 
Sing of the great DIVERSITY
That people brought to this land,
Lest we forget who we are
And how to understand.
 
Sing of our immigrant nation
Before our memories fade
And we lose our self-identity,
And our actions become a charade.
 
Sing of the "huddled masses
Yearning to breathe free,”
And may others expect
KINDNESS from you and from me!
 
Sing of our generous nature
And let us try to fashion
A nation full of heart,
Built on love and compassion.

- by Bob B

Wow! I've made it to sixty-nine.
I'm feeling sort of lucky
To have my health and everything else.
Everything's just ducky!

Sixty-nine years behind me…
My spring has long ago sprung.
When I was a kid, it sounded so old;
Now it's sounding young.

Although I'm not a daredevil,
Life's been full of adventures.
I have a crown or two, but I'm
Still not wearing dentures.

Maintaining a curiosity
Has been energizing.
Does that have something to do with being
A Leo with Virgo rising?

Certainly there are things
I CAN'T or WILL NOT do.
But every day I challenge myself
To learn something new.

I'm still a sexagenarian.
In one year I'll see
My name with the septuagenarians
If that's meant to be.

-by Bob B (8-15-18)

As of now, six of Trump's
Associates are paying for crimes
That they committed during these
Unprecedented times.

The crimes concern tax evasion,
Telling lies to the FBI,
Bank fraud, witness tampering
(Anything to protect their guy!),

Campaign finance violations,
Conspiracy against the U.S.,
Obstruction of Congress, lying to Congress…
All a part of the president's mess.

Let's see: Papadopoulos,
Manafort, Cohen, Gates, and Flynn,
And now Roger Stone--all
Tried to save the president's skin.

Do they ever ask themselves
How much they have benefited
From having worked for Donald Trump?
What misdeeds has HE committed?

Will Giuliani be the next?
How many more have hopped on board?
Will more break the law to protect
Their mob boss, their crime lord?

There's an important message here
When we see such crimes as these:
Lie down with flea-ridden dogs,
And surely you'll wake up with fleas.

-by Bob B (11-16-19)

Step right up, folks. You will see
That I have a product that's basically free.
The only cost--the only expense--
Is sacrificing your common sense.

Though SOME people give them a different name,
Conspiracy theories are my game.
They're quite easy to get behind
If you have a paranoid mind.

Misinformation can cause confusion
By relegating truth to the world of illusion
And make you think that wrong is right--
That white is black and black is white.

The more outrageous, the more far-fetched,
The more bizarrely the truth can be stretched,
The more my theories will gather force.
Yep, that's just a matter of course.

From PizzaGate to voter fraud,
Conspiracy theories--no matter how odd--
Will spread across the Internet,
Seeking out every space cadet.

Some of the craziest ones we've seen
Are focused on the spread of COVID-19.
The deep state myths are other ones;
Or the Dems are out to get your guns.

The president--one of my biggest fans--
Is such an asset to my plans.
As long as ignorance continues to grow,
My stories will continue to flow.

-by Bob B (7-29-20)

Socrates, the professor cat,
Loves to teach and lecture.
Whether he gets his point across
Is sometimes merely conjecture.

When left alone for a period of time,
He'll meet you at the front door
Where he will greet you on your return
And also give you what for.

"Excuse me," he says in his feline way,
"But you would be obtuse
If you failed to see that your actions
Border on cat abuse.

"Yes, we're independent, BUT
Frankly, my dear, you seem
To want to exploit our autonomy
By taking it to the extreme."

He lectures for quite a while, for he
Wants you to do your best
When the time approaches for you
To take another test.

"You know we value promptness," he adds,
"And I don't mean to be rude,
But when our dinner is not on time,
We're NOT in a very good mood.

"Research, you know, is vital and your
Failure to study impedes
A total understanding of what
Constitutes our needs."

He constantly tries to teach you patience
And thinks your dedication
To knowing his mind for both of you
Is a win-win situation.

If you misplace something, such as
Your watch, your keys, or a ring,
He'll stare at you as if to say,
"Oh, you poor, poor thing."

When you're frazzled, his calm demeanor
Implies that you at least
Would benefit from the study of ancient
Wisdom of the East.

He likes to observe from afar as you
Go about your activities,
Ever watchful to see if you are
Developing harmful proclivities.

At other times he just sits back
To see how much you've learned
And tries to silently calculate
How much praise you've earned.

If he desires a tasty treat
And thinks that you're withholding
Something from him, you'd better watch out:
You'll be getting a scolding.

Admonishingly, he says, "Do NOT
Think my methods nefarious,
It's just that learning broadens your being.
Take it from THIS Sagittarius."

You think you're one step ahead of him--
At least so you assume.
But Socrates will let you know
Who is teaching whom.

-by Bob B (2-16-20)

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (7-18-19)

So "Roseanne" is off the air;
ABC has cancelled the show.
Hats off to the company
For its decision. Way to go!

After recent NFL
Corporate cowardice, people wonder
Whether the TV station would
Fail to act and therefore blunder.

Sadly, many people now
Are out of a job because of Roseanne.
(Although the show was popular,
I must admit, I wasn't a fan.)

People tweet many things,
Often ****** or asinine,
But this time the comedienne
Has unashamedly crossed the line.

Writing that an African-American
Woman was a cross between
Muslims and apes, Barr has shown
That her attacks are far beyond mean.

Once aware of the repercussions,
Roseanne Barr came out with the claim
That Ambien had made her do it--
Yes, Ambien was to blame.

The manufacturer of Ambien
Has responded with a shrug:
Racism is not a known
Side effect of the drug.

-by Bob B (5-30-18)

(Try singing this poem to Dionne Warwick's version of "Alfie," by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.)

Somehow you went wrong, Lindsey.°
Don't you feel like the president's chump?
Don't you feel he's wrong, stringing you along, Lindsey?
Strange things happen when you deal with Trump.
You once said he was unfit,
And if he was so unfit, Lindsey,
Then what happened to make him the man?
There can be no doubt what this is about, Lindsey.
How did a foe become his biggest fan?
I guess it doesn't matter if you've got no pride, Lindsey.
How can you live with yourself?
Can it be that Putin has some dirt on you, too,
That you want to hide, Lindsey?
Your odd behavior baffles us, Lindsey.
Wait till you're thrown under the bus. You will be, Lindsey.
If a fool is what you want to be,
Say good-bye to dignity, Lindsey.
Lindsey…

-by Bob B (10-28-19)

°Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YidCdaLPPR8

"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

Some people can be their own worst enemy.
Frequently, they tend to call attention
To their gross incompetence and act
Amazed when they're surrounded by dissension.
Perhaps it's just that they're oblivious
To their surroundings, or they do not care
About matters not involving them.
They're caught up in their self-love affair.
Their stratagem relies on subterfuge.
To achieve their desires, they deceive.
Their focus is NOT on what to give,
But rather on how much they'll receive.
One wonders if they'll ever pay the price
Of brushing off intelligent advice.

Being their own worst enemy, such people
Love to play the victim or the martyr.
Would it even faze them if friends said,
"You know, we really thought that you were smarter"?
How they love to catapult themselves
Into a situation and then claim
That everybody's out to get them! Then,
"Poor me!" they cry as they pass the blame.
The words "empathy" and "understanding"
Aren't a part of their vocabulary.
If you don't agree with what they say,
Then you become their hateful adversary.
What would it take to make it clear
That they themselves are what they ought to fear?

-by Bob B (8-22-17)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-10-24)

When there's a crisis, we'd like to think
The president would certainly know
How to unify the country--
To take the high road and NOT the low.

But, alas, Trump just can't
Seem to manage to set aside
His grievances and obtusely delivers
A message filled with cyanide.

An act of domestic terrorism--
Pipe bombs being sent through the mail
To Obama, the Clintons, Holder, and others--
A heinous act that's not small scale--

Is an attack on democratic
Values--a dangerous threat to peace.
But when Trump blames the victims, such
Acts of violence will not cease.

Yes, he said the deed was despicable,
But then he blamed CNN
For negative news reportage and lies.
And so here we go again!

Even though his words ring hollow
When he tries to stay on script,
We can see his true feelings
Come out whenever his mouth is unzipped.

Accepting no responsibility
For negative things he says or does,
He stirs up his crowds against other people.
Such behavior gives him a buzz.

Regarding the telling of lies, we know
That no politician ever
Has lied to the people as often as he.
But will he admit that he does it? Never!

Both fans and critics know that for him
The strategy is always the same:
Berate your critics, denounce the truth,
Incite your fans, and pass the blame.

Hopefully, the future will bring
A president we can respect again--
An honest one with integrity.
We have to put up with this one till then.

-by Bob B (10-25-18)

What does Russia have on Trump?
A little? A lot? Nothing? Who knows?
Nevertheless, there are more questions
Than we can count on our fingers and toes.

Trump seems to have greater regard
For Putin--which is really bizarre--
Than he does for people here,
Which goes to show how crazy things are.

He thinks that he can allay
Our fears by sending out tweet after tweet.
Instead of making the man look stronger,
His messages make him look more effete.

We'll probably never know all the answers.
We'll never know the whys and wherefores,
The truth to faulty explanations
Behind the empty becauses and therefores.

We do know that something is fishy.
Trump's overreactions as such
Are revealing, to say the least.
Methinks he doth protest too much.

- by Bob B (1-14-16)

“This happened because that happened.”
That’s what the Buddha is said to have said.
It permeates the thousands of pages
Of Buddhist writings that can be read.

Of course, people will probably say,
"That is neither profound nor sublime."
Ah, but the words are really both
Complex and simple at the same time.

It sounds as though we're talking about
Chain reactions or cause and effect.
The words can make a great deal of sense
When we view things in retrospect.

All the interconnected events
That brought us to this moment can be
Overwhelming, to say the least,
For there is so much that we cannot see.

Although we might not notice it,
Simple reactions occur this way:
You offer someone a genuine smile,
And maybe you made that person's day.

When we look at history
And how religions arose and grew,
Interconnections are much more complex
But clearly are at work there, too.

Viewing historical events
In depth can help us understand
Why things are the way they are
And how ideas get out of hand;

How the human ego works
And how human behavior evolved;
Why so many conflicts exist
And why so many remain unresolved.

The process of deeply examining
Ourselves and our world can open our eyes
To why we think in a certain fashion
And how to see through falsehoods and lies.

“This happened because that happened.”
Although we cannot erase the past,
We can alter the way we think
And then make positive changes that last.

-by Bob B (2-3-24)

Sometimes Mother Nature *****!
But we can’t live without Her.
It behooves us to pay attention to
Her whims and learn about Her.
 
If it weren’t for Mother Nature
We would NOT be here.
Because of HER we can survive
In Earth’s atmosphere.
 
The indispensable light from Her sun
Helps vegetation grow
By allowing for photosynthesis
Here on Earth below.
 
Thermal energy from the sun
Causes evaporation,
Which in turn supports life on Earth
Through welcomed precipitation.
 
The soothing sun caressing the earth,
The gentle breezes and rains,
The towering peaks, the rolling hills,
The lakes, the rivers, the plains...
 
How beautiful Mother Nature can be!
But, oh, She has a dark side—
A sometimes wild and violent demeanor,
A harsh and extremely stark side.
 
Parched by fiery rays of the sun,
The earth suffers damage and drought;
Lakes and rivers and streams dry up,
And destructive fires break out.
 
Gentle breezes become tornadoes
And hurricanes in violent forms.
And lovely rains turn into torrents
And cataclysmic storms
 
That flood our cities and towns and fields,
Causing death and disease;
Then freezing temperatures sometimes follow—
Nature’s angry reprise.
 
Sometimes the ground upon which we live
Suddenly rolls and shakes,
Or spits out fire and volcanic ash
And creates hot lava lakes.
 
So often we have some wonderful moments
When nature can delight us;
But don’t forget there are snakes and mosquitoes
And other creatures that bite us.
 
Doubtless, Mother Nature deserves
Both our awe and respect.
Of course She’s fickle, but still She doesn’t
Deserve our abuse or neglect.
 
Her whimsical ways confuse and confound us,
But we have to cut her some slack.
Mess with Her and—oh, my goodness!—
With a vengeance She’ll strike back!

- by Bob B

When hardened hearts ignore the plaintive tears
Of those who are invisible yet present,
They disregard the strugglers' hopes and fears
And make a situation more unpleasant.
Many suffer hazardous conditions
And work that earns a pittance but still brings
A lifestyle that won't **** their true ambitions.
How dare we think that they all live like kings!
Imagine living daily with the terror
Or harsh presentiment--with stress and pain--
Of knowing that despite abuse or error,
Your hands are tied, for you cannot complain.
Your life becomes a sad catch-22.
To keep on going is all that you can do.

Imagine fleeing poverty and war
And frightful acts of cruel persecution.
Your life at least is better than before,
But you await a permanent solution.
Your kids are now American at heart,
But jobs and college cause much consternation.
You work two jobs; you try to do your part;
Yet there's the constant threat of deportation.
When people turn their heads and look away,
A blaze of cruel injustice wildly rages.
The ones affected most can have no say
In how to fix what's NOT worked well for ages.
Solutions lacking heart are cold and numbing
And demonstrate how ugly we're becoming.

- by Bob B (2-23-17)

If three billion years ago--
According to what the scientists say--
We were merely single-celled beings,
We have come a long, long way.

It’s hard to imagine life before
Becoming multi-cellular creatures
With such a wide assortment of
Fascinating traits and features.

If sixty percent of our DNA
Is shared with fruit flies, we can see
That we humans and fruit flies have
A certain commonality.

If ninety-two percent of our
DNA is shared with mice,
Before we take their little lives,
Do we ever stop and think twice?

Before we **** that fly or rodent--
For reasons that number more than a dozen--
We could at least show a little
Respect and say, “Sorry, Cousin.”

-by Bob B (12-30-19)