dear Donald
fare thee well
and may you roast
in hell
for all the damage
you have caused

after four years
of a wannabe dictator as president
let's give a big sigh of relief
     at his demise
roll up our sleeves
and start repairing the damage
done to people and institutions

hard work
but the only way to save
(U. S.) democracy

any fool can wreak destruction

building functioning democracies
takes time  
needs dedication  
love for your country
and all of its people

good luck

once again
    this time in Georgia
communities of color
saved democracy
from spiraling into
violent authoritarianism

in spite of armed white mobs
     incited by the president's men
breaking into the nation's capitol
looting and destroying
interrupting certification hearings
forcing members of congress
    to seek sheltered places
killing a policeman
causing five more deaths

the scenes
shocked the world
and most U. S.  citizens

america has become small again
no more a beacon of democracy
just another banana republic

in a real democracy
citizens cast their votes
and then respect
certified election results

I wish you all
most pleasant days
   no matter what the virus says

and thank you
for your kind support
     now over several years
of my assorted verse
which can at times be very terse
and maybe disappoint your expectations

it's just that recently more often
    instead that politicians soften
    their people's usual competing claims
there come these guy who obviously aim
to sow divisiveness for their own good
      something no politician should
and then blame others for their oversights

such blatant attitude my ire lights
I then may harshly
     maybe unpoetically
let my opinion on the topic fly
'cause I believe
that poets should be anything but shy
and throw the power of their words
behind good causes

so far, dissenting voices have been few
discussions I enjoy  and always do
engage in them if the exchange of views
strolls not too far from fact-based arguments

And between all the daily politics
I often try to stop the ticks
that measure calculable time
try to find words for things sublime
that go beyond the noises of the day
find meaning not in what
     but how they speak
in vivid images try to present
     life's clearing moments
that may lead readers to some peaks
     of insight  provoke comments
or make them think outside
     their usual frame of mind  
reflect upon their role within mankind

if I can work such wonders with my words
I am content and know
my lines are not just for the birds

I wish for us
the year twothousandtwentyone
fulfill at least some of the expectations
we all have  
           secretly or not
  after the lousiest year of our life
           to put it mildly

as a colleague from India
recently put it in his Christmas greetings

      think positive, test negative

A better New Year to you all
reach to the skies, avoid to fall !!

a pernicious old troll
with restless fingers
    and maybe also a mouse
still haunts the White House

for his last days in office
he spooks out of all bounds
sends millions into poverty
destroys protected grounds
obstructs where he can

desperate not to lose fans
    from his base that still dream
    that he won an election
he tries to make it seem
     like he still is in power

but many have gone sour
there is talk of defection
and crumbling are formerly
supportive actions

yet he still claims he’s won
fires those who don’t agree
is unable to see
that his time is gone

no dead birds in the oven
no innards in the stuffing
nor fatty drippings to be scraped and poured

the smell of roasted veggies
wafts through  the wintry air
pumpkin and sweet potatoes
marshmallows  green beans  lentils
turnips  & collard greens
hashed browns & black-eyed peas
quinoa  sorghum cuscus hummus
carrots  leak  broccoli Romanescu
gumbo in southern regions
wild rice dishes in the north
tastily spiced with turmeric
cumin and baked paprika
Indian curry  soy sauce  chipotle
as well as with the usual suspects
of garlic  salt  and pepper
and whatever fits the taste of hosts

in short
a venerable feast to demonstrate
how nature feeds us a large cornucopia
of plants for our delight and sustenance

in short
no need to **** a bird

                * * *