A river of lies flows from the White House.
Watch as the river widens each day.
Watch as it gains speed and momentum
And all credibility flows away.

The reasons for firing James Comey,
FBI Director, are scattered:
Because of Comey's treatment of Clinton's
Emails? Really, as if that mattered.

Then it was a DoJ
Suggestion that Trump was acting upon,
Adding another story to the
Great pretense phenomenon.

Next in an interview,
Trump sang another song--
That he had really wanted to fire
James Comey all along.

A man whom Trump had praised in the past
Was simply a "showboat," a "grandstander,"
Who'd lost control of the FBI.
Watch the river of lies meander.

We have heard a different story
Having to do with loyalty--
That Comey was fired because he wouldn't
Bow down before the royalty.

Just mention "Putin," "Russia," "hacking,"
"Collusion," and yes, "investigation,"
And the "You're fired!" president
Acts out of desperation.

Has Trump considered telling the truth?
He and his team should give it a try.
If they are going to make up stories,
At least they ought to stick to one lie.

- by Bob B (5-12-17)

The wise know where a hero stands--
upon the shoulders of another man.
Or a woman. Truth be told,
there’s more to legends than what we’re sold.
There’s a legion behind every famous one:
Footsoldiers, workers, slogging from sun to sun.
They build the movement that changes history--
collective action—not Him; it’s We.
Or the art, or invention, of ground-breaking power,
from a  “genius” who above us does tower.
His inspiration is the work of others,
connected souls-- sisters and brothers.
Each weaves a strand of the magic thread.
From hundreds of others the genius is fed.
He finishes work with skillful design,
then sometimes falsely claims “it’s mine.”

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)

Awaken at last, glorious spring;
renewal of life, trees blossoming,
birds mating, and flowers blooming,
women in diaphanous dresses, flowing.
Is April the cruelest month? Knowing
that May’s eruption will soon be showing?

Today another human
was buried in the dirt,
and other humans gathered round,
and cried because it hurt.
And nothing in the time that he
had spent upon this earth,
could, in those tear-filled mourners' eyes,
diminish that man's worth.

No label he had ever worn
could sway their human hearts.
With no conditions, they loved him,
the sum of all his parts.
Now under six cold feet of ground,
he lies before his time.
And other humans wonder if
the sentence fit the crime.

Another human was his mom,
another was his dad.
Some others still had been his friends
since he was just a lad.
They had laughed and cried with him,
been true through thick and thin.
Now they've thrown handfuls on the box
they buried the man in.

Now the streets are burning-
other humans, filled with rage,
lash out at OTHER humans,
with the city as their stage.
Man and woman, boy and girl,
bear witness what you're seeing-
the aftermath of the wrongful death
of another human being.