Born in a South Dakotan town,
My mom loved her Midwestern roots.
But after moving out West she never
Again put on her warm winter boots.

One thing you didn't want to do
Was cross my mother; that wasn't wise.
Get in her way or treat her rudely,
And watch out! Her temper would rise.

Pity the poor salesclerk who got
Snippy with Mom if Mom asked a question.
The salesclerk would have been told where to go,
And not with a mild, friendly suggestion.

Don't get me wrong; Mom was also
Kind and thoughtful and easygoing.
But she hated to be interrupted
When cooking, crafting, knitting, or sewing.

You learned how to stay out of her way--
Little tricks for surviving.
I was afraid that one day she'd end up
In jail for road rage when she was driving.

If someone pushed her very last button,
A litany of colorful words might gush
From out of her mouth--words that could
Even make a sailor blush.

But Mom loved doing things for others.
In fact, that was her main concern.
For family, relatives, friends, and neighbors,
She always wanted to do a good turn.

Watching her kids and grandkids at Christmas
Open their gifts was her greatest pleasure.
Her thoughtfulness and generosity
Definitely exceeded all measure.

She could become obsessed about things.
When she got an idea in her head,
You knew she'd eventually make it happen,
No matter what the rest of us said.

She often had to convince my dad
That it was time for something new.
One day she found a house on a hill,
And so they moved to that house with a view.

Then she became obsessed with travel
And persuaded my dad to buy an RV.
I don't know how many they wound up
Buying and selling; I think at least three.

We often ask ourselves what would have happened
If she had gone to the ER that night.
We catch the flu; then we get well.
That's what always happens, right?

Not in Mom's case. As it turned out,
Her stubbornness was her undoing.
If we do not open our eyes,
We can't see storm clouds brewing.

I see aspects of Mom in me
In how I sometimes think and behave,
In how my neuroses express themselves,
In what I like, in what I crave.

In situations, I often wonder
What Mom would have said or done.
I might not do what comes to mind,
But thinking about it is always fun.

- by Bob B

Watch Donald Trump. Watch what he does.
Beware of what might ensue
If he's in the Oval Office again
And does what dictators do.

Viktor Orbán° came to his home--
A strong man through and through
Who has rejected democracy,
For that's what dictators do.

Orbán and Putin are mentors to Trump.
He loves their world view.
He doesn't care how they step on rights,
For that's what dictators do.

He swears that he'll go after opponents
If he is elected anew.
Trump wants loyalists only because
That's what dictators do.

His anti-migrant rhetoric
Has a frightening hue
As he dehumanizes others.
That's what dictators do.

Repeat a lie often enough
And people will think it's true.
Trump is a master at bending the truth.
That's what dictators do.

Figuratively, his nose has grown
At least a foot or two
From all the lies he's told so far.
That's what dictators do.

Republicans who don't obey him
Or line up in his queue
Are censured, for Trump has called them out.
That's what dictators do.

The former president now has
Indictments up the *****.
Our system of justice he says is unfair.
That's what dictators do.

Criticizing others is fine.
To Trump that's not taboo.
But criticize him and he'll get even.
That's what dictators do.

He starts with others, and then just watch:
He'll COME after me and you.
It's incumbent on all of us
To STOP what dictators do.

-by Bob B (3-11-24)

°The prime minister (and current autocrat) of Hungary

As loads of information emerge,
We see the tactics Trump was using
If he didn't win the election:
To STEAL it IF he thought he was losing.

Lawsuits Claiming Election Fraud:

First, he filed his frivolous lawsuits.
One by one, they were dismissed.
******* up charges don't hold water.
The evidence just didn't exist.

Fake Electors:

Then he resorted to fake electors--
Another carefully thought-out plot.
His fraudulent scammers would help him win.
At least, that is what he thought.

Using States to Overturn Votes:

Fake electors didn't work;
Therefore, Trump asked certain states
Not to certify the results.
That would have put us in dire straits.

He called many legislators
And asked them all to cancel votes.
Since they'd love to keep him in power,
He knew that would float their boats.

Using Congress to Overturn Votes:

So then Trump urged his sycophants
In Congress, "Please, do what you can
To help me win!" And some of them even
Tried to help the desperate man.

DOJ Interference:

Claiming widespread election fraud,
He asked Bill Barr to get to the heart of it,
But since there was no evidence,
The DOJ would have no part of it.

Using the Military:

Using his unscrupulous lawyers,
He tried to concoct another means
To keep his power. The military,
He thought, could seize the voting machines!

Sabotage on January 6:

That idea hit a brick wall.
Still lacking ethical sense,
He decided to pull off his scam
By putting pressure on Michael Pence.

On January 6 Trump's mobs
Stormed the Capitol, trying to
Sabotage the election process--
Basically, performing a coup.

As Trump watched the chaos on his TV,
For three hours no one could sway him
To call off the mobs. His major concern?
How could Michael Pence betray him?

And Now What?

A long, premeditated scheme
To steal an election is what occurred.
Criminal intent appears
To be so clear from all that we've heard.

If folks aren't held accountable,
Concerned people have the impression
That what transpired at the Capitol
Will end up being a training session--

A training session for coups in the future.
If that happens, it will devour
Our democratic system and end
America's peaceful transfer of power.

-by Bob B (7-31-22)

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Ari M.

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (12-30-18)

Where was all the election fraud
That Trump declared was going on
As he vigorously campaigned
And as his battle lines were drawn?

Oh, I see: fraud occurs
In the event he does not win,
For IF Republicans should lose,
Fraud's the story that they spin.

After a vicious, nasty campaign
Of stirring up fear and employing deceit,
Trump has won a second term
With help from his buddies on easy street.

Once he is in office again,
We will see an escalation
Of his being able to get his way
Through vengeance and intimidation.

He and his crony Elon Musk,
Who has become his partner in crime,
Are ramping up the threats already.
So here's a Trumpian nursery rhyme:

Donnie Trumpy, pudding and pie,
Wants his way or else he'll cry.
Watch him as he flouts our laws;
How much damage will he cause?

-by Bob B (12-19-24)

If you think America
Is going in the wrong direction,
And if you want our candidates
To win in the next election,
You might want to help us all
Rout out the bogeyman.
Come and be a member of
The American Taliban.

If you think our country is
Getting too diverse,
If you think that immigrants
Are making matters worse,
And if you fear a great influx
Of people black or tan,
Then you'll fit in quite well with us--
The American Taliban.

We do go by other names,
And we're spread far and wide.
You'll find White supremacists
Standing by our side.
Among us you will even find
Members of the ****.
Whatever the case, we’re proud to be
The American Taliban.

We don't need no evidence;
We just all yell "Steal!"--
At least to make it look as though
Election fraud is real.
To spread around misinformation,
We do what we can
'Cause we are die-hard members of
The American Taliban.

Religious freedom? Oh, yeah…that.
We won't make a fuss
Just as long as you maintain
Religious views like us.
Of women's reproductive rights
Our group is not a fan.
Women are subservient to
The American Taliban.

Racial inequality
And stuff like equal rights
Are balderdash to us, for they
Are damaging to Whites.
It's clear who's been superior
Since back when time began.
That's why we are members of
The American Taliban.

We can stifle democracy
Until it is no more,
For we will spread theocracy
From shore to distant shore.
Help suppress the vote. Come on
And join our caravan.
Our goal: to change the laws to suit
The American Taliban.

Watch: we will infiltrate all
Your cities and your towns.
Elected officials will be replaced,
And even school board clowns.
Justice and the rule of law
Are not part of our plan.
We'll make nonsupporters fear
The American Taliban.

-by Bob B (9-5-21)

Have you heard of the Angel of Augsburg?
Agnes Bernauer was her name.
Her fairy tale start had a tragic ending.
What happened to her was a horrible shame.

She lived in the early 1400s
And worked as a servant in Augsburg, where she
Met Duke Albrecht von Würtemberg
Who promised to make her his wife-to-be.

Agnes was said to have been a beauty,
With fine noble features and long golden hair.
Even her enemies praised her appearance.
Those who beheld her would all stop and stare.

Duke Ernest, who was the young duke's father,
Unfortunately, could not get behind
The thought that Albrecht would marry Agnes.
He had another young lady in mind.

Father and son both quarreled, and Albrecht
Took a major step in his life.
Defying his father's unfair demands,
He made the lovely Agnes his wife.

They moved to Straubing and lived in a castle.
Albrecht surrounded her with a court.
However, their happily-ever-after
Life--you can guess--would soon be cut short.

Duchess Agnes had known all along
That Ernest's wrath was something to fear.
He was a tiger observing its prey,
Awaiting the time to pounce to draw near.

When Albrecht was away on business,
Ernest made happen plan part one:
He had Agnes imprisoned for being
A witch who had enchanted his son.

How ruthless people can be at times!
But what was there for Agnes to do?
Nothing but wait to be tried and sentenced
As Ernest carried out plan part two.

The verdict: guilty. The sentence: drowning.
Such a cruel and heartless rebuke!
Agnes was going to be drowned in the river
In Straubing. The papers were signed by the duke.

Thrown from a bridge and into a river,
Agnes was able to drift ashore.
The hangman then held her head underwater
Until the poor woman could breathe no more.

History has demonstrated--
And if we ignored it, we'd be remiss--
How power, religion, corruption, and money
Play a strong part in cases like this.

The body of Agnes, the Angel of Augsburg,
Lies there in Straubing, where she'd lived and died.
Only a person whose heart has been hardened
Could hear how she suffered and still stay dry-eyed.

-by Bob B (3-12-24)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- by Bob B

The leader's fans grovel before him--
The wannabe autocrat.
The "anointed one" is what they call him.
Yes, they actually call him that--

A morally corrupt man
With nineteen or so accusations
Of ****** misconduct, and is
The center of many investigations;

Whose character ought to be
A shining example in people's lives,
And yet who has, as everyone knows,
Cheated on ALL three of his wives;

Whose thirst for attention, praise, fame,
And recognition is undying;
Who's known for stiffing workers and is
Given to pathological lying;

Who brags about grabbing women's
Private parts because he can,
Because he thinks his wealth has made him
A privileged, entitled man;

Who had a fling with a ***** star
When his son was four-months-old;
Who also paid hush money to
A **** ******* centerfold;

Who incites hateful white extremists,
Who now feel more emboldened to spread
Hatred and animosity
And cause innocent blood to be shed.

And yet…and yet…despite all this,
A person whom rational people would shun
Is called by some supporters out there
A savior--THE anointed one.

What a mondo bizzarro we live in!
Nowadays so much is at stake.
But calling him the anointed one?
For goodness' sake! Give us a break!

Unless one day they open their eyes,
They'll be in for a BIG surprise.

-by Bob B (2-5-19)

Frederick Trump°--we know of him.
What about his son Fred--
The father of Donald J,
Whose reputation is now widespread?

Fred started out fairly young
Building houses and apartments in Queens.
Later forming a company,
He soon became a man of means.

In 1927 Fred
Attended a parade on Memorial Day--
One that just happened to have been
Organized by the KKK.

Police arrested Fred, for they
Had told him to leave; instead he stayed.
Was he an innocent bystander
Or a participant at the parade?

1954 proved
That controversies weren't disappearing.
Fred was investigated
For wartime profiteering.

Later tenant Woody Guthrie
Accused him of stirring up racial hate.
(The Trump family always seems
To have something to litigate.)

In 1973 Fred
And son Donald faced accusations
Of unfair treatment of blacks--in short,
Of civil rights violations.

So bad blood between the Trumps
And the DOJ has a history.
Thus, Donald J's attack
On the justice system is not a mystery.

Both sides claimed victory,
But father and son hated the fact
That they were told to acquaint themselves
With the current Fair Housing Act.

(Funny, but we can see a pattern
In watching the president's evolution.
He also has difficulty
Understanding the Constitution.)

Fred suffered from Alzheimer's
The final years of his life. What's scary
Is the possibility
That maybe it's hereditary!

When looking at grandpa, dad, and son,
Very few would disagree
How they bring to life the saying:
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

-by Bob B (2-6-18)

°Born Friedrich

A farmer had an *** on his farm
That wasn't having a very good time.
The *** hated the meager food,
Hard work, and overall grime.

It begged Zeus to deliver it
To another boss. Zeus then sent
Hermes down to talk to the farmer
To bid him to sell the malcontent.

Sold to a potter, the *** soon learned
That working for him was a bigger chore.
It found the work to be ***** and even
Harder than it had been before.

It asked Zeus to find it another
Boss, so Zeus in a sarcastic manner
Arranged for the *** to be sold again--
THIS time to the local tanner.

When the *** realized
Its new boss's trade, it cried,
"Woe is me! Why wasn't I
More content--more satisfied,

"With my first bosses, who would have buried
Me decently. And frankly that
Would have consoled me somewhat, but now
I'll end up in a TANNING VAT!"

Moral?

Learning how to appreciate
What we have is hard to master
Until we're stuck with a boss or leader
Who happens to be a total disaster.

-by Bob B (3-4-18)

°An Aesop tale retold here in verse

A traveler needing help decided
It would be handy to rent an ***.
He found someone and made a deal.
Observe what then came to pass:
 
The owner of the *** followed behind
To drive the animal along on its way.
A few hours later the traveler and owner
Decided to rest; it was a hot day.
 
The traveler spied the ***'s shadow,
Which was the coolest place he could find.
"Oh no you don't," the owner said.
"That is MY spot, if you don't mind."
 
"Since," said the traveler, "I'm renting the animal,
"The shadow belongs to me as well."
"You're renting the ***--NOT its shadow!"
Exclaimed the owner. "You go to hell!"
 
Ooh, the argument grew tense and heated
And eventually led to shoving and blows.
Instead of seeking a compromise,
The two men acted like a couple of schmoes.
 
Suddenly, it dawned upon the men:
The *** was gone; it had run away.
The fight continued; each man said
The other one would have to pay.
 
What is the moral of the story?
If you are wise, surely you’ll wish you
Could focus less on the minor "shadow"
And more on the real, essential issue.
 
Or…
 
When we consider what is important,
There is a lesson for the masses:
You will likely be left in the lurch
If you place too much trust in *****.

- by Bob B

Wandering down the road an ***
Encountered a lion's skin.
He dressed himself up in it
Without an ounce of chagrin.

Frightening all creatures who saw him--
Animals and humans as well--
The *** stifled his braying and watched
As they all ran off pell-mell.

Finally, unable to hold it in,
He brayed some loud "Hee-haws!"
The fox heard him and also happened
To notice his hooves--not paws.

"Well, my friend, if I'd only seen you,
I might have been afraid.
But now that I've heard you speak, you can
Dispense with your charade."

The moral? Clothes can disguise many fools,
But despite their fancy array,
When they open their mouths--Yikes!--
Their words give them away.

Or

You can put on fancy airs,
Pretending you're suave and urbane,
But if you are truly an *** at heart,
An *** you will remain.

- By Bob B

Under the sprawling Bodhi Tree,
Siddhartha sits with his primary vow:
How to alleviate suffering
In this world--here and now.

Suddenly, Mara appears--
Mara the tempter--with his sinister grin.
Siddhartha stays calm and unafraid
And graciously welcomes the tempter in.

Offering supernatural powers
Around which the human ego revolves,
Mara observes as Siddhartha sits,
And every thought of power dissolves.

Mara then offers his beautiful daughters,
Hoping Siddhartha yields to temptation.
In silence the unperturbed seeker
Shows the depth of his aspiration.

Growing furious, Mara calls up
Armies of demons of fear and desire.
They surely should stir Siddhartha's
Deep anxieties and inner fire.

Siddhartha merely gains greater insight
Instead of succumbing to Mara's ploys.
Mara departs in a rage, leaving
Siddhartha in a calm, quiescent poise.

After six days a Buddha "awakens"
As the traces of night start to disperse.
From looking into his innermost nature,
He's seen the face of the universe.

- by Bob B

This is the tale of a woman--
One who thought she knew best.
Social media allowed her
To get a few things off her chest.

COVID-19, she claimed,
Was merely a media hoax
Created by “radical people”
To hoodwink all of us folks.

She called it "socialistic.”
Moreover, she said it had
The trappings of an effort
To make her dear leader look bad.

We DON'T need hand sanitizer
Or rolls of TP by the tons.
What we need, she insisted,
Are "faith” and "fight” and "guns."

At the time she expressed her feelings,
What was unforeseen,
Was that a couple weeks later,
She'd die from COVID-19.

Had she but listened to experts
Instead of to nitwits and fools,
Maybe she'd be here today.
She should have been following rules.

Not to disparage her faith,
But somehow it didn't prevent
The woman from catching the virus
To such a deadly extent.

Would SHE have abandoned her faith
And her weapons? Probably neither.
But one thing we know for certain:
Her guns didn't help her, either.

The lesson we learn from her story
Is one that is NOT hard to miss:
Fools are not to be trusted,
For ignorance isn't bliss.

-by Bob B (4-7-20)

This is a tale of a ruler;
Vladimir Putin's his name.
Unlike a man with a conscience,
This one has no sense of shame.

His paranoia controls him.
His ego controls him as well.
Among our current world leaders,
We can find no parallel.

Running the world's largest country
Can be a challenge that's tough;
However, as large as it is,
To Putin it's not large enough.

So now he has sent Russian troops
Into the land of Ukraine.
Putin's great thirst for power
Is something that he can't contain.

Putin can't stand the idea
Of having a country next door
That's strong and democratic.
For him that's a reason for war.

And so he came up with excuses
To justify his attack.
How does one deal with a lying
Megalomaniac?

How many people will suffer?
How many people will die?
How many now will be homeless?
How many children will cry?

How many more dissenters
Will end up going to jail?
Which world democracies
Will Putin try to derail?

Who is the next to be poisoned
For speaking his or her mind?
With how many more rubles
Will Putin's pockets be lined?

Most of the world agrees
That Putin is clearly a brute.
Praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!
Yes, praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!

-by Bob B (2-27-22)

This is the tale of a woman;
Ashli Babbitt's her name.
She lost her life by becoming
Involved in a dangerous game.

She'd spent some time in the Air Force--
Fourteen dutiful years.
Later she worked with her family.
Then something snapped, it appears.

Her social media postings
Showed her recent romance
With crazy conspiracy theories
And an anti-immigrant stance.

Trump's deceitful distortions
Were something to which she held fast.
Her trip to the Capitol Building
Would end up being her last.

So say good-bye to Ashli.
What a sad reason to die!--
All for having supported
A president's giant lie.

When she arrived at the building,
She probably thought, "What the heck?"
And broke in with the mob
With a Trump flag 'round her neck.

A plan to take back the country
Was how the event was billed.
Instead it was a coup,
And Ashli was shot and killed.

Some people call her a martyr;
Some people call her a saint.
But most people here will tell you
That those are two things she ain't.

When we bow down to tyrants
Who break the existing rules,
We demonstrate the danger
Of fools being led by fools.

So say good-bye to Ashli.
What a sad reason to die!--
All for having supported
A president's giant lie…
All for having supported
A president's giant lie.

-by Bob B (2-12-21)

(This can be sung to the melody of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," by Tom Blackburn and George E. Bruns.)

All you have to do is show you are a fan
Of Donald J. Trump, and of course you can
Rewrite our history if that's your plan,
While tossing all the facts into the garbage can.
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--out for a dangerous thrill.

It's too bad her life had to end that way.
But why storm the Capitol that shameful day?
How did she ever get caught up in the fray?
She listened to Trump. What else is there to say?
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--killed on Capitol Hill.

The members of Congress were terrified.
They had to find a place where they could all hide.
The Speaker's Lobby was where Babbitt tried
To enter but was shot before she got inside.
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--caught in the undertow.

Breaking in and entering was not very smart.
Incited by her president, she chose to take part
In the insurrection. Watch him kick start
A movement to reward her with a purple heart.
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--oh, what a tale of woe!

Some want to crucify the cop who shot her,
Saying what he did was nothing short of slaughter.
But look where Babbitt's crazy actions brought her.
Recognizing lies is what someone should’ve taught her.
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--fell for the president's lie.

Some Trump's supporters are so inclined
To try to persuade his base to be aligned
In making her a martyr, but when will they find
That their cult leader's completely lost his mind?
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--what a strange way to die.

I think that most of us will have to agree
That you don't have to be a genius to be
Appalled by such attacks on our democracy.
There are consequences. That's a guarantee.
Ashli--Ashli Babbitt--all we can ask is "Why?"

-by Bob B (7-13-21)

This is the tale of a person
Who always needs someone to blame--
Who's sociopathic by nature.
We will not mention his name.

Every **** thing about him
Is narcissistic and sour.
And yet for millions of people,
He is the man of the hour.

Way back in his early childhood
There MUST have been something constraining.
Did the young child have a nanny
Who offered him poor ***** training?

Constantly seeking attention,
As if to say, "Hey! Look at me,"
He wants to be in the spotlight--
Of course, always for a small fee.

When he moved out of the White House,
Not caring if he crossed the line,
He took with him box after box
Of documents, saying, "They're MINE."

Though classified docs were among them,
That didn't matter to him.
For almost two years he kept them.
Will he pay? Chances are slim.

All of his fans and supporters
Come up with any excuse
To try to protect him, when really
Someone should cook the man's goose.

He'll thumb his nose at the law
And want us to give him a break.
Sociopaths like him
Don't think they can make a mistake.

Currently, he is extorting
The government by making threats
Of violence if he's indicted.
This he does with no regrets.

Well, Mr. Sociopath,
It's time that you pay for your crimes.
And once that happens, let's hope
That we will all see better times.

Yes, Mr. Sociopath,
Look at the damage you've done.
You're good at fooling yourself,
But you cannot fool everyone.
Yes, some might be easily fooled,
But you cannot fool everyone.

-by Bob B (9-1-22)

One thing that's hard to escape from
Is social media trends.
People encounter them daily
And then share the posts with their friends.

The false information spreads quickly.
The internet boosts it along.
Many susceptible victims
Don't care if the info is wrong.

Quacks and unscrupulous people
Everywhere are to be found
Constantly looking for someone
With whom they can find common ground.

If you're in the market for snake oil
To grow some hair on your head,
You would be much better off
If you saved your money instead.

After the outbreak of COVID
From out of the woodwork we saw
Wackos appear with their cure-alls.
We could see flaw after flaw.

You can find charlatans selling
Cures for cancer and shirk
Any responsible notion,
For all those quick fixes don't work.

A new trend is spreading on TikTok:
Try drinking borax, they say.
Sprinkle a tad in your water;
Your joint pain will then go away!

Borax, a household cleaner,
Has other uses, you see.
Ingest it and you could have rashes
And seizures. No, that's not for me!

Dangerous health fads are out there.
Listen to experts who know
How to avoid falling victim
To someone who causes great woe.

Whatever you do, don't fall victim
To those who can cause you great woe.

-by Bob B (7-22-23)

If you know the tale of El Chapo,
You know then what will befall
Even the person who's known as
The most famous drug lord of all.

Exporting more drugs to America
Than anyone else in the past,
El Chapo lived like a king
On the millions of dollars he amassed.

You didn't mess with El Chapo.
Woe betide you if you did!
Not only would you suffer,
So would your spouse or your kid.

Back in the 90s El Chapo
Found himself in a scrape
And landed in a Mexican prison,
But he found a way to escape.

A protracted stay in the slammer
For him was not in the cards:
He bought his way to freedom
By bribing the prison guards.

For thirteen years El Chapo
Evaded capture and hid.
He kept up his shady dealings
While trying to stay off the grid.

Authorities in Chicago
Gave this man on the run
Notoriety as Public
Enemy Number One.

In 2015 the drug lord
Was back in prison again.
This time he fled through a tunnel
Dug by some of his men.

One day marines closed in.
They thought they'd caught their man.
El Chapo held a child
In his arms as he ran.

Soon El Chapo got sloppy.
No one could catch him, he thought.
Alas, the marines tracked him down.
Back to a cell he was brought.

Now the Americans want him.
Extradite him, they say.
El Chapo will be an example
To show that crime doesn't pay.

So, say good-bye, El Chapo,
As you sadly wipe your tears.
We hope you like your new home;
You're going to be there for years.

Yes, say good-bye, El Chapo,
To your Sinaloa Cartel.
A maximum security prison
Will be your new citadel.

- by Bob B

This is the tale of a felon.
Guy Reffitt is his name.
Aligned with the Three Percenters,°
He plays a dangerous game.

He had been planning a trip
To Washington, D.C.
It wasn't to tour the city;
It wasn’t a shopping spree.

On January 6
In 2021,
At the Capitol, Reffitt
Was present and armed with a gun.

He was also equipped
With zip ties and body armor.
This man from the state of Texas
Looked like quite the charmer!

There to "take the House"
Was Reffitt's insidious plan--
To "rip them out by their hair!"
What an upstanding man!

On multiple felony counts
Reffitt was later convicted--
On five to be specific.
That should have been predicted.

One count was for obstruction
Of justice. Reffitt got caught
Threatening two of his kids
By telling them "traitors get shot."

When Reffitt receives his sentence,
Let's hope that he gets no reprieve.
What other brutal attacks
Does the **** have up his sleeve?

Good luck now, Mr. Reffitt.
We hope you enjoy your stay
At a federal prison,
Learning that crime doesn't pay.
You'll have time to reflect on
Your stupid behavior that day.

-by Bob B (7-19-22)

°A far-right militia group

Huey Long° was the kind of fellow
You wouldn't double cross.
He ran his state as though he was
A genuine mob boss.

Bootlickers and flatterers
On whom he could rely
Helped him gain his wealth and power.
That you can't deny.

He stacked his government with folks
Who'd answer only to him.
His dissenters found themselves
Out on a shaky limb.

Hey, Huey,
We all know
The things you did
So long ago.
Your power grabs
Were tried and true.
We know someone
Much like you.

Harnessing the discontent
Of people was his plan.
His gift of gab as a populist
Made him a popular man.

His cadre of guards sufficiently armed
Made him feel quite smug.
Although he got things done, he was
Essentially a ****.

Taking control of elections, he
Sidestepped prosecution.
With power on display, he'd declare,
"I am the Constitution."

Hey, Huey,
We all know
The things you did
So long ago.
In a way
You primed the pump
And set the stage
For Donald Trump.

Calling himself "the Kingfish," Huey
Found corruption handy.
Power, control, and kickbacks were
His modus operandi.

Reporters whom he didn't like
Were ones he would abuse.
They'd be beaten, and he'd call
Their papers "lyinnews."

A glimpse of how a strongman would
Appear in the U.S.A.
Was Huey Long's rehearsal for
A dictatorship today.

Hey, Donald
We see through
All the things
You've tried to do.
Although this
Is NOT your song,
You're a lot
Like Huey Long.

-by Bob B (5-6-24)

°40th governor of Louisiana and U.S. senator from 1932 until his assassination in 1935.

This is the tale of a figure--
One you have noticed by chance--
Who's from the state of Ohio;
He calls himself JD Vance.

He once said Trump was like ******,
But suddenly Trump's now his champ.
Somehow or other the two
Ended up in the same camp.

He's an election denier
And WON'T rest until he defeats
Those who have different opinions.
He CALLS them (oh, horror!) elites!

The country, he says, is controlled by
Childless cat ladies whose aim
Is to make all of us feel
As wretched as they do. Oh, shame!

Hetero parents with children--
Another idea that he floats--
Ought to receive something special,
Which is to get extra votes.

Apparently, Vance thinks our leaders
Can lead only when they have known
What it is like to produce
One or more kids of their own.

(Chorus)
Tell us, please, Mr. Vance,
If you are truly for real.
How many crazy ideas
Do you still plan to reveal?

Vance is opposed to abortion,
Even for ****** or ****.
He thinks that he's pro-life Zorro,
Displaying his sword and his cape.

He says divorce is too easy,
And WE have had more than enough.
But what about violent spouses?
Violent? He would say, Tough.

The firing of all civil servants
Who don’t support MAGA goals
Is HIGH on his shifty to-do list
Once he is at the controls.

President Biden is killing
MAGA voters, says he,
With fentanyl! Oh, my goodness!
Only a fool would agree.

Marriage equality also
Is a big no-no for him.
And slavery's just like abortion!
Vance as VP? Oh, how grim!

(Chorus)
Tell us, please, Mr. Vance,
If you are truly for real.
How many crazy ideas
Do you still plan to reveal?
You and Trump must be looking
For an election to steal.

-by Bob B (7-31-24)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-by Bob B (10-29-21)

It’s hard to know how the country
Survived having to spend
A four-year term with 45.
I thought it would never end.

Four long years of scandals;
Fours years of anguish and grief;
Four long years of fatuous tweets,
With little if any relief.

Four long years of a slogan
To make America great.
And yet the president seemed much more
Preoccupied with hate.

Four long years of hearing
Constant words of praise
For Vladimir Putin and other strongmen
And their autocratic ways.

Four long years of watching
His sycophants kiss his rear
And be afraid to tell him what
He didn’t want to hear.

Four long years of lies.
The number hasn’t been topped.
And though he is out of the White House now,
His lying hasn’t stopped.

Four long years of observing
Extremists in his base
Become so extremely emboldened that
An insurrection took place.

Four long years of feeling
As though we were swimming with sharks,
For he loved tearing people apart
With his nasty remarks.

For four long years we heard
Constant “alternative facts,”
For one of his guiding principles is
Anything that distracts.

Four long years of our lives--
Unrecoverable time.
If voters decide to give him four more,
THAT will be a crime.

-by Bob B (8-3-21)

There is a **** in the White House--
A member of Donald Trump's team--
Who's trying like mad to fulfill
His ideological dream.

Perhaps does the name Stephen Miller
Happen to ring a bell?
If so, then you know the one who
Acts like a demon from hell.

As Deputy Chief of Staff
And often in Donald Trump's ear,
Miller is using his power
To put his plan into high gear.

He didn't like the statistics
That he was hearing from ICE.
He went in ranting and raving.
The numbers, he said, don't suffice.

Criminals are very hard
For ICE to catch and deport.
If that's where they put all their focus,
They will keep coming up short.

Go into places of dining,
Home Depot stores, and fields
And round up the undocumented,
He said. Let's see what that yields.

ICE was met with resistance.
People said, This is a sham.
So Trump deployed the marines
And said, I DON'T give a ****.

Some of Trump's cabinet members
Have ceded a lot of control
To bloodthirsty Demon Miller:
A monster without any soul.

The Muslim ban was his baby.
He's anti-transgender rights.
Foreign policy matters
He also keeps in his sights.

Any diversity practice
For Miller's a target, we know.
As he goes after our rights,
We wonder how far he will go.

Family separation
Of immigrants: his goal for sure.
His cruel and racist agenda
Is very hard to endure.

For someone raised Jewish its odd
To have such a ****-like stance.
But it all makes sense as we watch
The Trump and Miller bromance.

Maybe one day it will happen
That we can all say good-bye
And wish Demon Miller good riddance.
Will YOU be as eager as I?
To wish him good-bye and good riddance,
Will YOU be as eager as I?

-by Bob B (7-14-25)

This is a tale of a woman;
Stormy is her name.
One little fling with a fellow
Became her claim to fame.

She met a rich man in Tahoe.
He was married. So what?
It seems as though the rich golfer
Was there to do more than putt.

Stormy, the **** star, was
A wonder to behold.
He forgot about wifey
And baby a few months old.

(The little affaire de coeur
Doesn't mean that he's bad.
Some say he was bewitched;
Others would call him a cad.)

How long everything lasted,
Only the two will tell.
She claims it lasted for months
Before he said farewell.

Let's move ahead ten years.
The real estate mogul planned
To procure for himself the highest
Office in the land.

Somehow the mogul's attorney
Transferred a large amount--
One hundred thirty thousand--
Into her bank account.

'Twas money to keep her quiet--
Money to make her hush.
(When you've got money, you
Can afford to make people shush.)

The mogul became the leader;
But somehow the story leaked out.
Leader and lawyer were livid.
What had become of their clout?

A technicality
Nullified their deal--
According to Stormy's attorney--
So she had the right to squeal.

Both of the parties can now
Battle it out in court.
Let this be a lesson
Before you choose to cavort.

Just a warning, Stormy:
Don't let yourself get burnt.
Your episode was consensual;
It's said that for him others weren't.

We know, Mr. President,
You have a lot on your plate.
Is this one of your ways
Of making America great?

-by Bob B (3-9-18)

°This is a different version of the salacious scandal--this time in ballad form.

This is a tale of a ruler;
Vladimir Putin's his name.
Unlike a man with a conscience,
This one has no sense of shame.

His paranoia controls him.
His ego controls him as well.
Among our current world leaders,
We can find no parallel.

Running the world's largest country
Can be a challenge that's tough;
However, as large as it is,
To Putin it's not large enough.

So now he has sent Russian troops
Into the land of Ukraine.
Putin's great thirst for power
Is something that he can't contain.

Putin can't stand the idea
Of having a country next door
That's strong and democratic.
For him that's a reason for war.

He came up with false excuses
To justify his attack.
How does one deal with a lying
Megalomaniac?

How many people will suffer?
How many people will die?
How many now will be homeless?
How many children will cry?

How many more dissenters
Will end up going to jail?
Which world democracies
Will Putin try to derail?

Who is the next to be poisoned
For speaking his or her mind?
With how many more rubles
Will Putin's pockets be lined?

Most of the world agrees
That Putin is clearly a brute.
Praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!
Yes, praise that day when the Russians
Finally give him the boot!

-by Bob B (2-27-22)

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

The first presidential contest
In fifty years--to be exact--
Without full protection of
The badly needed Voting Rights Act

Occurred this year--in 2016.
Fourteen states--we must note--
Had implemented voting restrictions
Making it harder for some to vote.

Trump complained of a rigged election,
Which the media devoured in haste;
But little time was spent showing
The REAL threat that voters faced.

Voting restrictions are plaguing the nation--
Just ONE example of far-right aggression.
The fight for rights continues as we
Fight against voter suppression.

- by Bob B (12-9-16)

Trump with all his indictments and cases
Continues playing his usual games.
Political motivations are
What guide the indictments! That's what he claims.

He's trying to get the sympathy
From voters across the country who feel
That poor, innocent Donald Trump
Has gotten a horrible, horrible deal.

Victimhood's his major tactic.
He says it's all a witch hunt, and then
He and his lawyers keep trying to
Delay the process again and again.

Stalling is a strategy
That he has worked out to perfection.
He wants to postpone his trials until
After the presidential election.

If you're innocent, Donald Trump,
Then prove your innocence in court.
But that's not easy when honesty
And integrity are not your forte.

With all the evidence against him,
It’s hard to imagine him going free.
Don't ask "for whom the bell tolls,"
Donald Trump; "it tolls for thee."

-by Bob B (3-25-24)

And so last week, Republicans--
Who legislate from Capitol Hill--
Passed what was very UNPOPULAR:
Trump's big, ugly billionaire bill.
UNPOPULAR? Republicans don't seem to care.

CEDING their congressional POWER
To Donald Trump--a would-be king--
They are there to do his bidding.
The man has got them on a string.
CEDING POWER? Republicans don't seem to care.

Giving TAX BREAKS to the WEALTHY,
Republicans are truly loath
To tell the truth--that these tax breaks
Really will not spur on growth.
UNFAIR TAX BREAKS? Republicans don't seem to care.

Ask them why they are taking billions
Of dollars from health care. Here's one reply--
Which isn't very compassionate--
Someday EVERYBODY MUST DIE.
PEOPLE SUFFERING? Republicans don't seem to care.

By giving ICE unprecedented
Power, it is crystal clear
That THAT along with billions of dollars
Could help create a POLICE STATE here.
POLICE STATE? Republicans don't seem to care.

Republicans always scream about debt,
But when they have power, they're very quiet.
The NATIONAL DEBT will greatly increase.
What happened to their debt-free diet?
NATIONAL DEBT? Republicans don't seem to care.

When critics oppose the bill, Trump says
He hates the Democrats. Not smart.
He thus INCITES more VIOLENCE
And keeps on tearing the country apart.
INCITING VIOLENCE? Republicans don't seem to care.

So what will be the Republicans' fate
When people vote in FUTURE ELECTIONS?
Will they lose at the ballot box
For heartlessness and misguided affections?
FUTURE ELECTIONS? Ah, NOW they'll care.

-by Bob B (7-6-25)

Ignore for a moment talk of obstruction
Of justice, conspiracy, or collusion,
And focus on one inexplicable
Fact from which to draw a conclusion.

Despite the proof that Russians meddled
To a great extent in our last election--
Despite the indictment of thirteen Russian
Nationals--Trump's undying affection

For Putin and Russia never wanes.
Knowledge of troll factories and bots,
Hacking into voting machines,
And voter disruption and other plots,

Keeps expanding day by day.
And yet there's NO condemnation
Or mention of punishment as a response
To widespread election manipulation.

Is Trump so compromised by the Russians--
A critic asks--is HE one who'll
Easily fall for blackmail, or is
The man merely a "towering fool"?

Trump can criticize everyone else
In senseless, ungrammatical tweets--
Immigrants, athletes, women, the justice
Department, critics, and DC elites--

And yet Russia is fully off-limits.
Apparently, Putin can do no wrong,
Despite the fact that evidence
Of ongoing election meddling is strong.

It's serious when our elected officials
Cater to our adversary
And the biggest threat to democracy
Sits in the Oval Office. Scary!

-by Bob B (2-20-18)

As more information comes to light,
There's still a growing appetite
For many to think that wrong is right,
And the Big Lie continues.

The followers remain aloof.
Despite no evidence or proof
Of voter fraud, they keep up the spoof,
And the Big Lie continues.

Candidates across the land
Are truly getting out of hand
As ignorance makes a huge demand,
And the Big Lie continues.

The cult leader makes a claim,
Knowing so well it's just a game
And acting without a sense of shame,
And the Big Lie continues.

Unless you pull a ****, it spreads
And soon takes over the flower beds.
So it is with knuckleheads
As the Big Lie continues.

Tend to your garden; don't delay.
Although you must struggle day after day,
With effort you'll make the weeds go away
As the Big Lie continues.

-by Bob B (7-7-22)

California--earthquake country--
Faces a threat that's true:
A massive quake we call the Big One
Is LONG overdue.

We must face the facts, and here
Is something to think about:
California's experiencing
A so-called "earthquake drought."

The southernmost stretch of the San Andreas
Fault--it appears--
Hasn't had a major rupture
For 340 years!

When it happens--man o man!--
We'll be rocking and rolling.
Even though we're better prepared,
That's not too consoling.

The ground will shake, overpasses
And bridges may collapse,
And houses can slide off their foundations
As the seconds elapse.

Walls will crack, chimneys will topple,
Dishes will crash on the floor.
We will see a mess such as
We've never seen before.

Knick-knacks will fly off the shelves.
What else? It's hard to tell,
But bookcases and curio cabinets
Will topple over as well.

Objects will fly across the room.
So, be sure to stand clear.
If the magnitude is high,
Damage will be severe.

Gas lines, sewage lines,
And water mains may break.
Widespread, destructive fires
May happen after the quake.

We may be without power
And water for many days.
Helpless, we will have to stand by
And watch the fires blaze.

The Big One could happen now,
Tomorrow, or years down the line.
To scorn its inevitability
Would be asinine.

Without warning, the quake will occur.
It's hard not to be scared.
I'm NOT looking forward to that day.
Tell me: are you prepared?

-by Bob B (3-5-19)

House Republicans just couldn't wait
To annihilate Obamacare.
They swindled the American people,
And now the louses are walking on air.

They've rushed through a disastrous bill
With no hearings and no score.
The message they are sending out
Is one that's difficult to ignore.

Denying essential benefits
Now would be up to the state.
Older Americans also could be
Charged a much higher rate.

The plan for people with pre-existing
Conditions? The cutthroat Republicans gored it.
According to them, you'll be covered.
If, that is, you can afford it!

Millions would lose their health insurance,
But our leaders care not a jot.
That Medicaid would be gutted,
They didn't give a second thought.

Minimum requirements
Won't be a priority.
Those with excellent coverage
Will be in the minority.

The plan is NOT a health care plan.
Listen to their sales pitch.
What it all boils down to is
A huge tax break for the rich.

After voting on a bill
That screws millions of people, they
Had a victory celebration--
A nauseating, sickening soirée.

If this is the best that they can do
To make our lives better, let the truth
Mercilessly come back to haunt them
Next time in the voting booth.

- by Bob B (5-5-17)

Trump just couldn't wait for the chance
To bomb Iran's nuclear sites--
Urged on by Netanyahu
And Trump's supportive troglodytes.

Diplomacy is anathema
To Bibi Netanyahu it seems.
Bomb now, talk later:
That is how he plans and schemes.

Was it only a minor setback,
Or were the bombings a major hit?
When journalists want to know the truth,
Trump gets angry and has a fit.

"Obliterated?" "Severely damaged?"
Those are questions we have to ask,
As Donald Trump loses his cool,
Taking the media to task.

In 2018 Trump stupidly
Tore up the nuclear deal that we had
With the Iranians. In his articulate
Manner he said, The deal is bad.

If he had left it intact, the bombings
Wouldn't have been necessary.
And if the sites were merely damaged,
The setbacks will only be temporary.

But he feels like a warrior now--
The guy who wily avoided the draft
By using the good ol' bone spur excuse.
The British would say: "The man is daft!"

-by Bob B (6-26-25)

A boy was taking a bath in a river--
An occurrence that was nothing new,
For he was a simple lad who lived
In the country and wasn't well-to-do.

He slipped on a rock and lost his balance
And splashed about with his arms outspread.
Not a swimmer, he didn’t like being
In water that was over his head.

Fearing that he was going to drown,
He called out for help from a passerby,
Who happened to be walking near
The river when he heard the boy's cry.

Instead of helping the drowning boy,
The passerby gave him a scolding.
The boy, struggling to stay alive,
Could not believe what was unfolding.

The passerby said, “It’s careless of you
To go out where the water’s so deep.
When common sense was distributed,
You were probably fast asleep.”

The desperate boy responded by saying,
"Sir, I've listened to what you've told me.
But I would be so grateful if you
Would save me first, then afterwards scold me."

We're not sure what happened next.
Let's hope that the passerby was able
To save the boy so there would be
A happy ending to Aesop's fable.

If we can learn the following lesson
From Aesop's tale, it would be nice:
In crises, giving assistance is more
Important than merely giving advice.

-by Bob B (8-28-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse

Ikkyu as a very young child
Displayed signs of being clever.
That he would one day be a great master,
There was no doubt whatsoever.

His teacher had one small treasure--
A precious teacup, a rare antique.
Its beauty was beyond compare,
Its style and craftsmanship unique.

One day Ikkyu happened to break
His teacher's cup. Horror-struck,
He heard his teacher's approaching footsteps,
And there he was: a sitting duck.

Ikkyu quickly picked up the pieces
And held them behind his back. "Why,"
He asked his sagacious teacher,
"Is it that people have to die?"

"Dying is a natural thing,"
The teacher replied, trying to give
A meaningful explanation.
"Everything has just so long to live."

Ikkyu slowly held out his hands,
Showing his teacher the broken cup.
Then he demurely said, "It appears
As though your teacup's time was up."

(2-3-17) By Bob B

°An old anecdote retold here in verse

Sam was known as the Buddha-cat,
Mainly because of the way that he sat.
His feline posture was fascinating:
He always appeared to be meditating.
Quiet and still, he'd sit there for hours
As though he possessed remarkable powers.
People would say that he gave the impression
Of being in the midst of a calm zazen session.
Never upset or angry or frightened,
He made all who knew him think he was enlightened.

"But tell us: why 'Sam'?" people would query
So often that both of Sam's owners grew weary.
"It's short for Samantabhadra," they'd say,
"Who's just like a Buddhist saint in a way."
"Yes," Sam would think, "That's who I am.
But, everyone, PLEASE, just call me 'Sam.'"
Then Sam would continue his deep meditation,
Sometimes counting each long exhalation.
And when he was finished, he'd patiently wait
To see if a treat might appear on his plate.

He'd stare through the window pane when it was raining.
To him it was one type of mindfulness training.
He never would chase after insects or mice,
And if one ran by, he wouldn't look twice.
He was content just to take life with ease.
One thing that he couldn't stand, though, was fleas!
But he wouldn't **** them, for his point of view
Was clearly: that's what his owners should do.
He knew that life had both good times and bad,
And since life was so, he didn't get mad.

Sam was not a strict vegetarian.
His rules for dining were more nonsectarian.
He'd chant when you gently would stroke his soft fur,
Though folks said it sounded more like a purr.
He was a true inspiration to many.
Did he have enemies? No, not any.
When visitors came, Sam wouldn't hide.
Of all cats, he was the most dignified.
Sam felt that egos were dangerous, so
Everyone has to learn how to let go.

As Sam grew older, he slept day and night,
And fur on his face began to turn white.
He ate much less food--not a whole plateful,
But he continued to always be grateful.
He still meditated, although bit by bit,
He felt it was better to lie than to sit.
One sad morning Sam's owners awoke
To find that old Sam had died of a stroke.
For Sam there would be no more mañana,
For he had entered parinirvana.

-by Bob B (2-21-24)

During Trump's campaign we saw
How very low the man could stoop
When it came to insulting any
Individual person or group.

The Gold Star family Khan, for example,
Received a heap of Trumpian abuse
As Trump blasted the family with
Insults, childish but profuse.

But even when Trump makes an attempt
To say the right thing, he still bumbles.
His team can pass him the ball, but then
The clueless president still fumbles.

He can have General Kelly
Speak in his defense, but then
On the next opportunity,
He'll stick his foot in his mouth again.

From someone in Trump's position we
Expect much more finesse, but alas!
In the meantime all we can do
Is say to ourselves, "This, too, will pass."

(10-20-17) By Bob B

Outside a window hung a cage
In which a bird was confined.
A neighboring bat was wondering if
The bird had lost her mind.

During the day when other birds sang,
She wouldn't make a peep.
But every night she sang her heart out
While the rest were asleep.

One evening, the bat paid her a visit
To check out the situation,
Hoping that they'd be able to
Engage in conversation.

"Lovely bird," he said, "I feel
That something isn't right.
Why can't you sing during the day
Instead of only at night?"

"I used to sing the whole day through,
But when the fowler heard
My beautiful voice, he said to himself,
'I must catch that bird,'

She said. "And so he caught me with nets
And stuck me in this thing.
From that point on, during the daytime
I have refused to sing."

The bat replied, "My lovely friend,
Please do not be sore,
But that won't help you at all right now,
Although it might have before.

"Before you became a prisoner--
When you could perch in a tree--
If you had sung only at night,
Maybe you'd still be free."

Of course, the story has a moral:
Precautions are truly great,
But they are utterly useless when
They are applied too late.

-by Bob B (8-9-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse

How could it happen? How could it be
That Marjorie Taylor Greene
Became a member of Congress? She's
The Capitol QAnon Queen.

She said that the Parkland shootings were
A false flag and swore
That laser beams from outer space
Caused wildfires! There's more:

She advocated that violent acts
Be directed toward
Members of Congress. Such offenses
Shouldn't be ignored.

Hilary murdered babies, she said.
How could anyone
Take Greene seriously after
All the tales she's spun?

When racists hear her rants, they all
Swarm around her like flies
Attracted to something I'd rather not
Have to verbalize.

Her anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic
Hate speech abounds.
One wonders how a person could be
As crazy as she sounds.

Greene has given support to the myth
That Trump really won the election.
Her vitriol also helped to incite
The Capitol insurrection.

Many Republicans in Congress
Bury their heads in the sand,
Ignoring the danger that she poses.
Things are way out of hand.

Strange ideas are out there, granted,
But what could be more obscene
Than to have as a member of Congress
A Capitol QAnon Queen?

-by Bob B (1-30-21)

A hungry cat was growing thin
And hadn't eaten for quite some time.
He heard that some local birds were ailing
And thought to himself, "How sublime!

"Certainly, they need a doctor.
I think I can fit the bill.
Once the birds let down their guard,
At THAT point I'll go in for the ****."

He gathered together some spectacles,
A coat, a hat, and a doctor's bag
And dressed up for the occasion, saying
"Looking good, though I hate to brag."

And so the cat presented himself
At the birds' home and said he was there
Because he had heard that the birds were sick
And asked if they needed emergency care.

"No!" said the birds. "Never mind.
Do you think we're that naïve?
We are fine and we will do
Even better once you leave."

Dejected, the cat departed. The Moral:
Villains don't like it when others eschew them.
They may try to disguise themselves,
But people can often see right through them.

It's true that scoundrels can be quite shifty,
Especially hackers and scammers today,
Who hide behind their disguises and wait
Like predators ready to pounce on their prey.

-by Bob B (9-3-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse

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)

DT sings to himself in the mirror:

I LOVE how folks bow down to me
And say my work's a job well done.
That's because so many can see
That Donald Trump is the Chosen One.

I alone can fix this land.
My work here has just barely begun.
When I have the upper hand,
I'll prove I am the Chosen One.

You'll get away with everything.
Stringing people along is fun.
And you can act as though you're king,
Or better than that: the Chosen One.

The Bible I have never read,
But bucks will flow in by the ton
When I sell it, for it's said
That I am really the Chosen One.

Christ and I are much alike--
Each a victim; each a son.
Opponents all can take a hike.
Best beware of the Chosen One.

I'm invincible 'cause I'm smart.
Are there folks who are brighter? None!
But still some want to tear me apart.
Look what they're doing to the Chosen One.

If I do not win this fall,
The election, I'll say, was badly run.
How could anyone have the gall
Not to vote for the Chosen One?

All the folks who criticize
What I do are those we'll shun.
I'll make it my enterprise
To market myself as the Chosen One.

With the Trump card, we will win.
Look at me: I made a pun!
I'm flawless, for I never sin--
Not when I'm the Chosen One.

Oh, my goodness, I'm so proud
Of all the tales that I have spun.
I know how to work a crowd,
Pretending I'm the Chosen One.

Me be scrupulous? No way!
You'll get farther if you're un-.
I don't care what critics say
Because I am the Chosen One!

-by Bob B (4-6-24)

The clown show in Arizona
Still hasn't come to a close.
When will the nonsense stop?
Well, good gracious! Who knows?

A group called the Cyber Ninjas
Is making a horrible mess.
How they could be so obnoxious
Is anybody's guess.

Trying to squeeze blood from a turnip,
They want to show everyone
That voter fraud ran rampant,
When most of us know there was none.

Among the crazy theories
That they have up the *****
Is that the ballots might show
Fragments of Chinese bamboo!

The crazy, preposterous theory
For which they have affection
Is how the Chinese attempted
To meddle in our election.

In states where Republicans won,
Republicans shout out, "Yippee!"
Where Democrats won, however,
The Right says, "No, that can't be."

Matthew Gaetz was joined
By Marjorie Taylor Greene,
The bully who's also known as
The wacko QAnon Queen.

The two showed up at a rally
To offer their support,
Showing how low they'd stoop--
To what they will resort.

Tampering with equipment
With actions so obtuse,
The "auditors" now have put
The voting machines out of use.

This all shows what can happen
When people get their high
Not by believing in reason,
But instead by promoting a lie.

The news of this clown show is spreading.
Moreover, from what we can tell,
You might be seeing the same
Buffoons in your state as well.

-by Bob B (5-23-21)

A farmer went to the market one day
To buy another *** for his farm.
He had a few in his stable already,
But adding one more would do no harm.

He came across a nice-looking beast,
In wonderful shape. No denial.
But in order for him to be sure,
He asked if he could take it on trial.

"I want to know what he's like," he said.
"And see how my other animals find him."
The owner agreed, and the farmer left.
The *** plodded along behind him.

"I hope he's like my better workers;
The other ones are as slow as molasses,"
The farmer mumbled. Back at the farm,
He put the *** with the other *****.

After surveying the new surroundings,
The new *** felt that he was able
To choose wisely, and so he befriended
The laziest, greediest *** in the stable.

After observing the ***'s behavior,
Immediately--that same afternoon--
The farmer returned the beast to the owner,
Who was surprised to see him so soon.

"Back already?" the owner said.
"I guess he didn't pass your test.
How did you decide so quickly?
Didn't he get along with the rest?"

“It didn’t take me long to see
His true nature,” the farmer replied.
"He sidled up to the laziest ***
In the stable as soon as he got inside."

To figure out the moral here,
We don't have to dig very deep:
People can know a lot about us
By the company we keep.

-by Bob B (8-14-21)

°An Aesop fable, "The *** and Its Purchaser," retold here in verse

"You want to make money? If that's true,
Have I got a proposition for you!
Sign up for my investment school.
Hesitating would be uncool.

"All my instructors will bestow
The best education on you. I know;
I picked them myself. They're tremendous.
My courses without a doubt are stupendous.

"What, you don't have money for food?
You won't get far with that attitude.
You can increase--it's not very hard--
The credit limit on your credit card!

"In fact, in order for you to buy
More seminars, we'll show you why
Obtaining and using more credit cards will
Build your self-worth. How's that for a thrill?

"To satisfy your innermost cravings
For elite courses, don't you have savings?
If courses require too large an amount
Of money, use your retirement account.

"For 35,000 dollars, behold:
A seminar-package that shines like gold.
Can't afford it? Come on, don't tarry.
Those words aren't part of my vocabulary.

"The bottom line is I will for sure
Make you a wealthy entrepreneur.
This is a pathway to wealth and success.
What we want from you is a "yes."

"I guarantee your life will be greater.
You know the drill: buy now, pay later.
All you have to do is sign
Right here on the dotted line."

- by Bob B

The con man and the crazy crackpot
Have now become aligned
With each other, and both of them
Are threats to humankind.

RFK Jr. has
Aligned with DJT.
Trump thinks that will help him win
Another term, you see.

Strange conspiracy theory monger,
Kennedy is known
For having eccentric ideas that
Make wise people groan:

That climate change is nothing but
A pretext with the goals
Of forcing on society
Autocratic controls;

That antidepressants have led to a rise
In school shootings; what's more,
That vaccines are worse than the virus itself!
Are you keeping score?

And listen to this: Now Kennedy
Wants you to remember
That chemicals in the water supply
Can turn our kids transgender!

Could Trump and his campaign team
Get any more bizarre?
Not only foolish but dangerous
Is what they truly are.

-by Bob B (8-24-24)