Florida wants to show
Its hateful, nasty side
By lashing out at gays
With zeal that it won't hide.
Governor DeSantis
Will not be outdone.
He wants to make a case
Where there's really none.
But who cares what
DeSantis has to say?
Turn his words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Other states will now
Attempt to follow suit
With explanations that
They will convolute.
It matters not to them
What is right or wrong.
It's just a culture war
That nudges them along.
When states try to put
Their bigotry on display,
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Using toxic words
Like "groomers" to suggest
That anyone who's gay
Is on a lecherous quest,
Backers of the bills
Frequently beguile
Voters with the use
Of words like "*******."
When fanatics try
To bully you this way,
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

Autocratic rulers,
Backed by troglodytes,
Despise tolerance
And stomp on human rights.
Don’t let other people
Intimidate you. No!
Just be who you are,
And tell them where to go.
Love is love is love,
So don't be led astray.
Turn their words around
And don't be afraid to say gay.

-by Bob B (4-11-22)

With the first breath,
         a Cry!
     With the last breath,
            a Sigh.
         With all in between,
                  a Why?

I sleep the nights away, for in my Dreams you still appear.
I weep the days away, for in my Life you're no longer here.

It seems lately, I push the pause button all the time,
Realizing it's the rewind, I really need to find.

Oh Christmas comes but once a year
Waistlines swell with good food and beer
Mince pies, chocolates, nibbles and nuts
Watch vintage TV, with no 'ifs' and no 'buts'

Wrapping paper deal, 2  rolls for a pound
Sneaky wrapping later, shhh, don't make a sound
Christmas tree needed you know what to do
Get a last minute deal down at Rhyl B & Q

Got the presents sorted, a job that so hard
That sinking feeling from a last minute card
A phone call and text is never too much
A welcome long chat just to keep in touch

Christmas day approaching are all the jobs done?
Eat drink and be merry is the way it should run
But often a snooze can be the best part
That can end with a grunt, a snore or a ****.

Turkey all gone but there are sandwiches still
Three helpings of trifle can make you quite ill
Then cheese and fine biscuits with coffee and cake
Might slow you right down on the After Eights

So off to the sofa  where you sit if you dare
Waistbands all loosened on the reclining chair
A tea or a beer shows who's still in the race
While a quick 40 winks puts a smile on your face

Well there it was done and soon off to bed
You sleep like a log having been so well fed
In the night you are gasping you must have a drink
You make it to the bathroom and drink from the sink

The next day is hellish, there are wrappers gallore
With crisps, cheese and crackers ground into the floor
Red wine in glasses fermenting and mulled
You turn and retreat with your senses quite dulled

So no breakfast needed just a whole lot of quiet
After indulging on what was a plain liquid diet
A quick clean around is a job for us males
As your partner heads out for the Boxing day sales!

Covid here, covid there
Wear your mask, I just don't care
Keep your distance, it's on the rise
Wash your hands and sanitise!

Stay at home, don't go to work
It's harder there, it's not a perk
Learn 'Teams' and work from just one room
All meetings now done are done on 'Zoom'!

Rule of six outside is costly
Not so nice when it is frosty
Shopping now can be a bind
For things you cannot seem to find

At first a lull and then the panic
The crowds, the queues it all went manic
We're just like sheep and the other souls
We all stocked up on toilet rolls

Stocks of pasta and flour soon fell
Then a rush on sanitizing gel
'R' number rose, we had a part to play
So cleared the shelves of cleaning spray

Months soon past with rules for the nation
We were told to stay in isolation
Car won't start but must get wages
Battery gone flat not moved for ages

Almost a year and it's been a while
There's hope ahead with a vaccine trial
We yearn for Christmas, restriction free
Oh hang on no, we're in tier three!

With restrictions lifted for a three day slot
Three families can meet or maybe not?
So meet your family, it will be so good
But only you know if you should

Covid confusion for a whole year
Not sure if it will bring much cheer
We must stay strong and do our bit
You'll find life's just what you make it

Christmas cancelled, they've made the call
You cannot meet anyone at all!
In tier four but still alive
No hold on now, you are in tier 5

So stay at home for the second time
The walls are closing you might have climbed
But hope is coming from multiple labs
And millions of vaccination jabs

It's all we've got from the medical pages
We pray it works as the virus rages
We've got it good, food heat and health
That's all for now, take care of yourself

The 'R' rate now is up to nine
They said past one was the end of the line
But we're still trucking, I do my best
To keep on smiling like all the rest

When back at work, things started slow
When will it stop, I do  not know
We all wear masks to build resistance
And two meters apart to keep our distance

Compulsory masks have stopped at last
Many still wear them like in the past
We hope we can live with it in our community
And rely on people's herd immunity.

I've heard that there is good news at play
All restrictions have been lifted today
It's great that now we can lift the curse
And I can write the last and final verse !