When I kick the bucket and if you see my family,
Please don’t be tempted to say,
“It was quick; he didn’t suffer long”
Or “Be happy that he’s no longer in pain”
Or “He’s now in Heaven or in the Pure Land”
Or “He lived a good life.”
Just hug them and say,
“I’m sorry” (if you are)
Or “I acknowledge your grief” (if you do)
Or “We will all miss him” (if you will)
Or “I’m surprised the SOB lived as long as he did” (if that’s how you feel).
No, maybe you won’t want to say that--not if you are talking to my family at least.
Then smile
And reflect….
Reflect on the fleeting nature of life,
On what it takes to live life fully,
On the inexplicable mysteries of life,
On the persevering and miraculous aspects of Nature,
And on the amazing interconnectedness of all things.
Grieve if you must,
But not for too long a period.
Don’t let it cause you to miss a game
Or a party
Or a dinner
Or a show.
Just continue being the special person you are,
And live!
Live!
Live!
Live!

-by Bob B (6-26-22)

How lucky we have been in life!
We found each other, and then voila!
We became a partnership,
Clearly defying Murphy's Law.

One thing, however, that's certain is death.
No, we don't know when or how
We'll have to bid adieu to each other
And sadly take our final bow.

If I'M to go FIRST, it breaks my heart
To think of leaving you alone,
Even though I know that you'll
Be able to manage on your own.

If, however, your death must
Precede mine, without a doubt,
It will be unbearable,
For you'll be hard to live without.

A sad inevitability--
An aspect of life we must accept--
Is that one day we'll have to part.
Death is not a promise unkept.

Courage and love are what we need.
Our love, for certain, is overflowing.
To help me deal with uncertainties,
My courage still needs room for growing.

We've had many years together.
I hope life gives us many more
Before it's time for us to cross
Over to the other shore.

-by Bob B (4-3-24)

(This poem could be sung to the melody of Stephen Sondheims's song "Giants in the Sky" from INTO THE WOODS.)

There's a virus going around!
There's a harmful, horrible virus going around!

When you wake each day,
And you hear the news,
And you'd like to think
That it's just a ruse--
That it's maybe a dream--
And so you refuse
To let it change your life.

Then you realize
That the dream is real,
And you learn that you
Simply can't conceal
The troubling facts
That the signs reveal.
You know…you must
Decide to place your trust
In people who don't put on airs.
Their message scares
Us because there's
A harmful, horrible virus going around--
A harmful, horrible virus. Oh, yes, that's what they've found.
And it is a threat
To both you and me.
Yet some people say
That they don't agree.
Though it creeps up close
And it doesn't make a sound,
It's all around.

If only we knew how
To fight it best.
One thing we know is
We can take a test.
But the president seems
To be so obsessed
With other matters, so…

Each state is stuck with
Figuring it out.
And you're out of luck
Unless you've got clout.
So you distance yourself
From others, no doubt.
And you wonder how
The delays came about.
But hey!…Just say,
"We can make this go away!"
But to find a path
Will not be a breeze.
We need expertise
In times like these.
Some say that our economy must come first.
If that is more important than lives, then we’re at our worst.
Yes, we have to work to live and thrive,
But to work a person must be alive.
There are some things that
Can or cannot be reversed.
It's all around.

There's a virus going around!
There's a harmful, horrible, awful, deadly, dangerous
Virus going around!

-by Bob B (5-13-20)

(Listen to Lin Manuel Miranda sing Sondheim's song on YouTube.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz-eZEcsvIk

(In the musical PETER PAN, Captain Hook, in the song "Captain Hook's Waltz" by Jule Styne, Adolph Green and Betty Comden, boasts about his villainy. Here Donald Trump, who prides himself on being as obnoxious as possible, sings his version. The responses of his admin team are in parentheses.)

I'm the greatest ruler of all time.
Who was Mussolini?
(Nobody!)
Who was ******?
(Nobody!)
Who is Vladimir Putin?
(Nobody!)

Who's the greatest deceiver of all?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's the MOST shameless man in this dog-eat-dog world?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Expert at knowing how someone can dupe
Others by showing how low ANY dictator can stoop.
(He'll stoop!)

Who's the basest of bullies around?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's unpliable?
(You!)
Unreliable?
(You!)
Who do some think could be certifiable?
(You!)
And who couldn't care less if the rest of the world's in a slump?
(World's in a slump!)
(No one else but Donald Trump.)
…
Who's the neediest?
(Neediest!)
Who's the seediest?
(Seediest!)
Who's the greediest?
(Greediest!)

Who's the MOST expert fibber around?
(Donald Trump!... Donald Trump!)
Who's displaceable?
(You!)
Ineffaceable?
(You!)
Who rich oligarchs find irreplaceable?
(You!)
Who's the slimiest, snakiest, snarkiest, scruffiest grump?
(Scruffiest grump!)
(All bow down to the king!)
If you want you can kiss my ring.
(The con with a plan.)
I guess I'm your man.
(Donald)
Trump
(Trump! Trump!... Trump! Trump!)
Trump
(Trump! Trump!... Trump! Trump!)
Trump!

-by Bob B (2-3-25)

He died at seventy years of age;
His words had poisoned a nation.
Much of what he ranted about
Was total fabrication.

White identity politics:
He set a blueprint for that.
And when he criticized liberals,
He upped the thermostat.

Race-baiting for him was certainly
Par for the course.
Constant attack was his strategy,
With no hint of remorse.

Being politically INcorrect
To show his point of view
And crossing the line of propriety
Were what he loved to do.

True he had his loyal fans
Who would never condemn
His bigotry and conspiracy theories.
What is wrong with them?

The Capitol insurrectionists,
Naturally, he'd spout,
Were NOT thugs, but patriots!
Figure that one out.

When giving him the Medal of Freedom
Despite his divisive ways,
Trump insulted all the people
Truly deserving of praise.

There are some who’ll jump for joy,
Knowing that Rush is gone.
But sadly all his vitriol
Continues to live on.

-by Bob B (2-18-21)

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)

I ran into Tom Turkey again,
Who quietly sat alone in a bar.
It had been a while, so I said,
"Hey, tell me how things are."

"Life for turkeys isn't easy.
You know each day could be our last.
Tomorrow I could end up being
A part of someone's sumptuous repast,"

He said, taking a sip of his brandy
And wiping a tiny tear from his eye.
"But," he added, "I guess you also
Never know when you might die.

"But a giant difference is
That though today you're strong and able,
If something happened to you, you wouldn't
End up on someone's dining room table."

Then he said, "Tell me something;
My reasoning here is kind of murky.
If someone is foolish, weak or inept,
Why do you call that person a turkey?"

"Sorry," I said, "but do understand:
The term wasn't created by me.
Nonetheless, I will attempt
To be more sensitive--more PC."

"Oh," he said, "one more thing.
It's a disgrace to us turkeys and NOT
Pleasing to see the people dance
A dance known as the turkey trot."

"That," I said, "is now obsolete.
The silly dance has faded away.
A turkey trot is now a race
Often occurring on Thanksgiving Day."

"That's a big relief," he said,
And then with a look of consternation,
He glanced at the clock, put on his hat,
And said he was going to a demonstration.

He picked up his placard and left the bar,
Making me feel slightly barbarian.
Across the sign that poor Tom carried
Were scribbled the words: GO VEGETARIAN!

-by Bob B (11-26-19)

Praise to essential service providers
Who daily put their lives on the line.
Such a giant debt we owe them!
May their hearts forever shine!

A special shout-out to doctors and nurses
And other health care workers who strive--
With limited equipment--to keep
Patients with COVID-19 alive.

Praise to epidemiologists
Who give us guidance and rules to follow
When the advice given by some
Of our topmost leaders is hard to swallow.

Praise to all who do their part
To keep a deadly virus from spreading,
Despite scary uncertainties
That make it hard to know where we're heading.

Praise to all who listen to
The voices of reason and do not let
The voices of ignorance cause them to
Behave in ways they'll one day regret.

And while we're praising all these people,
Remember the victims who had to die.
When a government's responses
Are muddled, the cost in lives can be high.

-by Bob B (5-22-20)

Hey, fellow Earthlings, if you dare
To come to America, be aware
That things aren't what they used to be.
It's grown quite scary, believe you me!

Even if you have permission to stay,
You have to watch what you do or say,
Or there could be a knock on your door,
And friends won't see you here anymore.

Consider this for a real treat:
Dissent and you'll be swept off the street
By people in masks, most likely from ICE,
And flown far away! Isn't that nice?

You ask, "Doesn't due process exist?"
NOT if you're on Donald Trump's list.
Our country is just like a country that
Is ruled by a vicious autocrat.

If you mind your p's and q's,
There is a chance you still could lose.
Regulations are dwindling fast,
And so your chances of dying are vast.

It COULD be from something that makes you sick,
A crash, or a shooter. Take your pick.
Medical research? Trump won't read it.
According to him, none of us need it.

Our national security
Has become an obscurity.
Other countries can trust us no longer.
While we grow weaker, Putin grows stronger.

Trump is chasing away our friends
Instead of choosing to make amends.
He loves our adversaries, of course,
Because he wants to rule by force.

Surrounded by folks who think he's swell,
He's making life in America hell.
Far from common sense he's strayed
And now is killing our tourist trade.

To be so hated, he seems contented,
As he grows more and more demented.
I have to wonder why anyone would
Want to come here if he or she could.

-by Bob B (3-27-25)

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)

Ah, Ukraine! It pains the heart
To see what you are going through.
How are you ever going to survive
What Vladimir Putin is doing to you?

Homes, schools, and hospitals bombed…
Roughly two million people fleeing…
The country's infrastructure collapsing…
It's hard to believe what we are seeing.

All because of an insecure
Madman who rules the country next door--
A madman who lies to his people in order
To justify his cruel war.

Will Putin level all the cities?
"Level"--a horrible palindrome!
What will returning Ukrainians find
Standing if they ever come home?

Putin rules with an iron fist.
For anybody to stop him is tough.
We have to rely on the Russian people
To say, "We have had enough!"

How much more can the rest of the world
Do to help--to ease your pain?
You need much more than cautious concern
To end the anguish, dear Ukraine.

-by Bob B (3-11-22)

(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.)

Some folks say that God is Love.
Oh, my goodness! Then sue me for libel!
He doesn't sound very loving to me--
The god that you find in the Christian Bible.

It's mainly the Old Testament god
Whose loving aspects are hard to find.
Watch out or he will harden your heart,
Give you boils, or make you go blind.

In fact, he is insanely jealous
And proud to be so, the writers say.
Even look at another god,
And there is going to be hell to pay.

He can be quite petty at times--
Indifferent as to whom he offends.
He doesn't want you to eat shellfish.
And what's his problem with cotton blends?

Very often he is unjust--
Sometimes for neither reason nor rhyme.
Work on the sabbath and you should be ******!
Does that punishment fit the crime?

An unforgiving control freak,
He wants to micromanage us all.
And woe to you if you disobey him.
Look what they say he did to Saul.

A bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser,
He's truly worthy of being reviled
For telling his people to plunder towns
And **** each woman, man, and child.

Misogynistic, homophobic,
And very vindictive if you say no.
From sacrifices to wars and slaughter,
He seems to love to see blood flow.

Megalomaniacal,
He longs for glory and applause.
Cower when you stand before
The great and mighty Wizard of Oz!

For those who are unfaithful, he says,
Unless their evil rebelliousness ceases,
They will fall by the sword and their
Children will be dashed to pieces.

He often derives sadistic pleasure
In hurting those who don't adhere
To his commands and who do not
Sing his praises and live in fear.

Fear of what? Of retribution.
If you don't believe in him,
He threatens eternal punishment.
I hope that hell at least has a gym.

He always seems to be mean and angry.
Look how he treated the Philistines.
Acting like a malignant bully,
He isn't loving by any means.

A very unpleasant character,
Instead of a help, he's more of a bother.
I wouldn't want someone like that
To even be considered my father.

If you don't believe me, then you
Should read the Bible and you will see
How God in the scriptures is not so loving
As people make him out to be.

-by Bob B (5-20-25)

This body that I call my own
Is air, water, earth and fire.
The urge to be--to live, to persist--
Forms the basis of desire.

Manifesting in different forms--
Countless forms that I call "me"--
I'm like a river that flows through life
And longs to be at one with the sea.

I'm like a wave upon the ocean.
At times I whisper, but often I roar,
Especially when I move too close
To land and crash upon the shore.

My ****** form--shifting, amorphous--
Is constantly changing its shape, its form,
Similar to the clouds in the sky
That float, that tower, that wildly storm.

I'm one with the past and one with the future,
Immeasurable in time and space.
Since I am what I am, I
Can never truly be out of place.

I'm the range of human emotions:
Happiness, sadness, love, and fear.
At times I'm a vision that no one can see;
At times I'm the sound that no one can hear.

I am the stars; I am the mountains;
I am the wind; I am the rain.
There's never a reason to worry because
There's nothing to lose and nothing to gain.

I breathe along with the universe,
Imbibing its force with every breath,
Thus transcending mass and light,
Distance and time, life and death.

-by Bob B (12-15-22)

Aunt Em received a letter from Dorothy--
A curious one in which she said
That even though she liked it in Oz,
She'd rather be back home instead.

Then she told her aunt about
Something she'd never seen on the plains:
A person lacking THREE important
Things: courage, a heart, and brains!

"The Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion, of course:
Each lacked ONE of those three things.
It's scary to know there's someone who
Possesses NONE of those three things."

Aunt Em replied, "I know it's strange
To find someone who lacks all three.
But I'm afraid you're not in Oz;
You’re in Washington, D.C.!”

-by Bob B (4-20-25)

(inspired by an anonymous Facebook post)

Lately we're seeing so much nonsense
Happening in this Trump-ruled-land.
Life gets bleaker every day
As things get wildly out of hand.

--Sean Hannity--
Sean Hannity, speaking out--
Ignoring diplomacy and rules--
Says that Trump should bomb Iran.
One of those Armageddon fools?

--King Trump--
Trump regaled photographers with
His Evita pose with flair
At the Kennedy Center where he'd
Formerly made himself the chair.

--DEI and the Department of Defense--
Navajo code talkers are being
Removed from websites. Want to know why?
Pete Hegseth says the reason
Is all because of DEI.

They'd been key in World War II.
Their roles in the war are being displaced.
Unless we pass as white, straight males,
We are going to be erased.

--Lying Musk--
For buying votes of illegals, the Dems
Spent 200 billion bucks,
According to Musk, who's proving that
Trump and his team are lying schmucks.

--The Voice of Freedom--
The Voice of America is being
Gutted by Trump. If you think
That such a move is wise, then know
That Russia and China are tickled pink.

--Misuse of Authority--
A couple hundred immigrants
Were flown to El Salvador, we've learned.
Trump is using wartime authority
During peacetime, but he's not concerned.

He is showing us that he'll
Defy the courts as much as he can,
Confirming what we already knew:
That he's a defiant, despicable man.

-by Bob B (3-17-25)

Book banning is humankind's
Sad display of puny minds.
Narrowmindedness, indeed,
Spreads as does a nasty ****.

It's another way to control
What others can do, and on the whole,
Banning books is clearly a tool
Of harsh, dictatorial rule.

If you don't want your kids to peruse
A certain book, then you can choose
To tell your kids, "It's not for you."
But DON’T tell others what THEY can't do.

Some books headed for the bin
Have gay characters therein.
Making believe that gays aren't here
Will not make them disappear.

It's so absurd when people say
That books can turn their children gay.
Books can merely make it known
That gay youth are not alone

And that we are not all the same;
Therefore, no one should feel shame.
Families can be different from
One another. Rule of thumb:

Open minds, open hearts:
That's where loving acceptance starts.
Providing people with love and support
Is an idea we all should court.

And if a kid remarks, "Ye gads!
Why does Freddy have two dads?"
A book can show the reason why
And simply try to clarify.

If Hope, perchance, has TWO moms, we
Should not say "I disagree
With their lifestyle." No, we should
Say "LOVE is love, and LOVE is good."

Here's a thing to contemplate:
Books don't make us gay or straight.
Instead, they help us understand
Ourselves and thus should not be banned.

-by Bob B (8-25-24)

Abraham was sitting around
Minding his very own business when
His Lord spoke to him. You see,
They talked every now and then.

"Take your son up into the hills.
I know a place that's really nice.
And don't forget your dagger, Abe.
I'm hungry for a sacrifice."

So ol' Abe grabbed his son--Isaac--
And off they went, minding the Lord.
I guess there wasn't enough going on
And so the Lord was getting bored.

Once Abe found the perfect spot,
He laid some sticks upon the ground.
He was going to sacrifice
His son there on that little mound.

Isaac lay upon the sticks,
Silently, without thrashing.
His dad was leaning over him.
In his hand his knife was flashing.

Isaac put two and two together.
(You wouldn't have to be that smart
To know your dad was just about
To plunge a knife into your heart.)

Suddenly, the Lord said "Whoa!
I was kidding. Put down that knife.
Abe, I didn't mean for you
To put an end to Isaac's life.

"I was merely testing you.
Sorry about the little scare.
The two of you can go back home
And wash out Isaac's underwear."

Abraham found a ram in a thicket--
Sadly, an unlucky one--
And offered his Lord some roasted ram--
That instead of roasted son.

It doesn't sound to me as though
Abraham's god was on the level.
If gods are willing to traumatize
Kids like that, who needs a devil?

-by Bob B (2-10-25)

While wandering through the forest one day
A lion chanced upon
What he hoped would be his dinner--
A young, injured fawn.

A bear approached who also had
The same idea in mind.
He was starving, for it had been
Some time since he had dined.

Both of them battled fiercely,
Clawing, scratching, biting.
Ultimately, the two became
Exhausted from the fighting.

They lay on the ground severely wounded
And trying to catch their breath,
Realizing how much effort
It took to fight to the death.

A fox had been observing the scene
From not too far away.
Jumping for joy, he said to himself,
"This is my lucky day!"

Too weak to move, the lion and bear
Watched in disbelief
While the fox ran off with fawn
In his mouth. The little thief!

The weary fighters agreed that they
Had been extremely unwise:
All that time they had spent fighting
And the fox ran off with the prize!

Moral? Some work very hard
And never receive acclaim,
While others receive the credit and profit.
What a rotten shame!

-by Bob B (8-26-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse

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)

Recently, Israelis rescued
Four hostages. People are thrilled.
But during the rescue, how many innocent
Palestinian civilians were killed?

The attack by Hamas on October 7
Was indeed an abomination,
And when a life is saved, that
Should be a cause for celebration.

But let's not lose sight of the huge loss
Of innocent lives since all this started.
It's hard to see what's happening
In Gaza and not feel broken-hearted.

What a shame that so many people
Are caught in between two warring factions
And suffer because of Hamas's attacks
And Netanyahu's revengeful reactions.

Reports vary as to how many
Civilians have died, but numbers are high--
More civilians than combatants,
But numbers are hard to verify.°

We must put pressure on BOTH sides
In order to make these numbers drop.
They have to put an end to this conflict.
All this killing has got to stop!

-by Bob B (6-12-24)

°The U.N. estimates more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza and more than 1,200 people in Israel have died in the war.

D.T.

THIS playbook chapter is
Extremely vital for maintaining
Competitive advantages
When you happen to be campaigning.

Create chaos--the more, the better.
That is one of my winning solutions.
Sow discord and make supporters
Distrust the country's institutions.

Get supporters riled up.
That's NOT a difficult thing to do.
Violence is fine--just be
Certain it's not directed at you.

To rile up people, you have to lie.
Lying is the name of the game.
You can make a lasting impression
If you're crafty and have no shame.

Avoid the discussion of policies
Or real solutions, as much as you can.
Merely say that you will fix
The country because you have a plan.

Develop the art of name calling
And bad-mouthing; THOSE are the kinds
Of things you can do to make distaste
Stick in your supporters' minds.

Make the people fearful of others;
Then your fans will stand by your side.
They won't even know that they're
Being taken for a ride.

Draw support from every extremist
Group that's out there if you can--
Militant groups, nativists,
Christian nationalists, the ****.

Try to get support from "friends"
In other countries. You can get
Tons of help as they spread lies
All across the Internet.

Don't let accurate information
Regarding your health and mental state
Get into the hands of the public.
My favorite word is obfuscate!

Being "nice" just doesn't cut it;
Be as obnoxious as you can be.
You DON"T want folks to think you're weak.
Rudeness is great; take it from me.

So if you want to win an election,
You merely have to follow my lead.
Remember: if you lose the race,
Never, never, never concede.

-by Bob B (10-15-24)

One afternoon a wolf encountered
A lamb that had wandered away from its herd.
Normally, the wolf would devour
The lamb without saying a word.

However, this time he felt a little
Compunction for the little creature.
A feeling of compunction is not
Typically a wolflike feature.

And so the wolf decided that
On this occasion he would entreat it
To come up with a really good
Reason that he shouldn't eat it.

"A year ago you insulted me,"
Said the wolf, feigning scorn.
"That's impossible," said the little
Lamb, "for I had not yet been born."

"Well," said the wolf, "you eat from my pastures
As though you have been given a pass."
"Sorry," the timid lamb replied,
"But I still haven't tasted grass."

"Then certainly you drink from my stream,"
Continued the wolf. "That's what I think."
“But that's not true," the lamb declared.
"My mother's milk is all that I drink."

"Think of every possible reason;
I don't give a tinker's ****.
But I won't go without my dinner!"
The wolf cried out, and gulped down the lamb.

The moral? Tyrants can’t be trusted.
Don’t be fooled by what they say,
For they will use whatever excuse
They can in order to get their way.

-by Bob B (8-19-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse

Be the peace that you would like
To spread around the world and know
That it comes from deep within,
And when it's nurtured, it will grow.

Be the laughter you want to hear
Fill the air with glee and mirth.
Let its contagious sounds extend
To people everywhere on Earth.

Be the light that you want to see
Radiate both near and far.
Let it serve as a beacon of hope;
Let it be a guiding star.

Be the love that unites the world--
A love that's meaningful and real.
Let its radiance gloriously
Embrace all living things with zeal.

Be the antidote to anger.
Let compassion fill your heart,
For ill-will tries to overpower
Love and tear the world apart.

Be a person who always seeks
To make the world a better place.
Let your glowing smile be mirrored
On every other person's face.

-by Bob B (12-17-22)

Some people talk about the power of prayer.
Although there's never a guarantee,
That's their business to pray if they choose.
But, frankly, praying's not for me.

Some people pray for departed souls
And feel that it makes a difference, you see.
If that consoles them, that is fine.
I just let the departed be.

Some people pray for lots of money.
Money's important; I agree.
But I say just go out and earn it.
Therefore, praying's not for me.

Some people pray for those who are sick
And suffering in an infirmary.
I just hope they are getting good care,
For I feel health care workers are key.

Some people feel that praying helps
Their lives by setting their worries free.
I just hope that all works out
For the best, but praying's not for me.

Some people pray to be prettier, stronger,
Wiser, better…but I say, "Gee,
Be content or make things happen.
Let that fill your heart with glee."

Some people have all kinds of reasons
To pray that go from A to Z.
I just cross my fingers and hope.
But praying? No, that's not for me.

-by Bob B (12-21-21)

Have you ever heard of "dyscalculia"?
It's often the culprit in situations
When people have great difficulty
With mathematical calculations.

I guess it's common for some of us
To learn that math is not our domain,
But having dyscalculia implies
A certain miswiring within the brain.

I read in multiple languages,
But math has always been hard for me.
There was only ONE math class
I liked, and that was geometry.

But algebra class? No way! Forget it.
We didn't get along at all.
I took the required classes and passed,
But often it was a very close call.

Maybe some of us live on the spectrum
That goes all the way from mild to severe.
Fortunately, I didn't have to
Use heavy math throughout my career.

I've always loved to deal with words;
Languages I find exciting.
But word problems, fractions, numbers,
And calculations are uninviting.

Although I can handle simple math,
My trouble with major problems lingers.
But, shhh!, please don't tell anyone
That sometimes I still will count with my fingers.

-by Bob B (2-10-22)

Americans have made a decision.
Why did they decide
To put someone into office who
Will take them for a ride?

They elected a man so full
Of vengeance and desperation
That his campaign was principally
Lies and misinformation.

He pandered to the people's worries--
Worries that he created
By turning people against the folks
That he has deprecated.

He won't focus on key issues;
No, those he ignores.
He would rather perpetuate
Hateful culture wars.

Islamo-, trans-, and homophobia
Will now be on the rise
As players in Trump's administration
Begin to mobilize

Racist stooges surrounding him
Will always be in his ear,
Chipping away at human rights
And constantly stoking fear.

The deportation of immigrants
He says is first on his list
Of things to do, for he is such
A heartless nativist.

Loyalty above all else
Is what he always demands.
With autocrats all over the world,
He'll be shaking hands.

We’ve all seen that Trump's whole world
Is strictly quid pro quo.
With Elon Musk so tight with him,
Will Musk be running the show?

With no more guardrails to keep Trump in line,
He'll FURTHER disunite
Americans, and that will be
Much to Putin's delight.

I'm glad I wasn't complicit in choosing
One of the vilest of men
To take a seat in the Oval Office
And wreck the country again.

-by Bob B (11-13-24)

Look around and pay attention.
A scary movement is on the rise,
Which ultimately could turn this country
Into a fascist's paradise.

Christian nationalism is what
The movement is called, and what it's about
Is a merging of church and state
And turning this country inside out.

Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus,
And everybody else beware.
You might like you current freedoms.
Christian nationalists don't care.

Infiltrating local, state,
And national government positions,
They're pushing their religious agenda
And pressuring other politicians.

Christianity's not the problem.
It's Christian fanatics who want to thrive.
They love the extreme ideas expressed
In Project 2025.

They want to quash the rights of gays,
Deny women the right to choose,
And reshape the federal government
With loyalists who share their views.

They're also weary of immigrants,
And climate change to them is fiction.
They claim to love this nation, but that's
A hypocritical contradiction.

Some even think that violence
Is justified to help them prevail.
It's almost as though they'd like to live
In Gilead of THE HANDMAID'S TALE.

If being agnostic can develop
By degrees, then I must say
That these religious extremists make me
More agnostic every day.

-by Bob B (7-8-24)

Where are mental institutions
To help those in dire need?
Within our current societal framework,
We can see where their absence can lead.

Closing the doors of facilities
Has posed a problem--one that defeats
The very attempt to keep psychotic,
Insane people from wandering the streets.

I'm not talking "insane asylums"
Or "snake pits" by any means,
Such as the ones we've seen in the movies
Filled with unforgettable scenes.

No, I'm talking facilities where
Patients receive necessary
Psychiatric help, which can
Hopefully be temporary.

At least those who are dangerous to
Themselves or others would have a place
To access humanitarian aid.
It's a problem we have to face.

Money? Is it all about money
That taxpayers refuse to spend
To build the institutions that
Would help and protect us in the end?

Shame on us as a country if
We thoughtlessly choose to overlook
What could be a proper solution
Merely because of our pocketbook.

-by Bob B (5-12-22)

The Cult of Trump does NOT want all
Americans to vote UNLESS
They cast their vote for a certain person.
Who do you think that could be? GUESS!

WHAT they're saying is IF Trump doesn't
Win the election this fall, by God!
That means the whole election was rigged
Because of rampant voter fraud!

There's NO evidence whatsoever
Of massive voter fraud, and yet
Trumplicans are spreading the lie
That it is a major threat.

Immigrants who happen to be
Undocumented, they say,
Are registering to vote in hordes.
That's NOT occurring, by the way.

Spreading such vile misinformation
Is devious and downright wrong.
And yet election deniers continue
To keep on singing the same old song.

Now they're saying that President Biden
Is encouraging people to vote
Who aren't American citizens!
Another lie they want to promote.

Sowing distrust in our elections
Is one of their underhanded goals:
Jim Crow-era strategies
To keep Americans from the polls.

When people have to cheat to win,
Have they no decency? Have they no shame?
How sad for the country to see so many
People playing the Lying Game!

-by Bob B (9-5-24)

If you listen, you will hear
The sounds of discontent
As the people join together to
Defy the president.

We meet to send a message to
The one who would be king,
Who only pays attention to
The sounds that go ker-ching.

You'll see us on the sidewalks
And in parks and city squares,
As we say we are tired of being
Controlled by billionaires.

The president thinks it's okay
To do whatever he wants.
He knows that Republicans
Will fear his jeers and taunts.

Every effort is being made
For people to be erased
From history. The government
Is doing it in great haste.

We watch as many people now
Are forced to live in fear.
They try to live their daily lives;
Then BAM! they disappear.

They're sent off to prison that
Is in a far-off land.
How people can put up with this
Is hard to understand.

The DOJ's being weaponized.
Trump says it's required
That anyone not loyal to him
Be canned, be ousted, be fired!

Needless tariffs are raising prices;
People are losing employment.
The pain we suffer seems to add
To Musk's and Trump's enjoyment.

Our health's in greater jeopardy;
Our safety's less secure.
If we don't fight, however will
Democracy endure?

If you love America,
Speak up! Make a fuss!
No for tyranny! Yes for freedom!
March along with us!

-by Bob B (4-8-25)

We read that Jesus was a Jew--
A Palestinian Jew.
He was a poor itinerant preacher
And far from well-to-do.

A Jewish god was thus, of course,
The one to whom he prayed.
Not all, but many Jewish laws
Were ones that he obeyed.

He walked around with twelve disciples--
Also Jewish men--
Who, I guess, were probably
Considered "born again."

The twelve disciples felt he was
The Jewish Messiah, though he
Wasn't exactly what most Jews
Thought the Messiah would be.

To them the Messiah would be a hero
Whose praises they would sing
For being both a peacemaker AND
A powerful, conquering king.

The Jewish Messiah was going to bring
Justice to the land.
The strong Jewish nation would then
Have the upper hand.

They thought that he'd restore the nation
To its former glory.
They needed a powerful leader who
Would fit in with their story.

How could Jesus be their Messiah--
A man so scorned and rejected?
He COULDN’T have been the Anointed One
Whom they had expected.

It really does seem quite ironic
And also very odd
How a rejected Jewish Messiah
Became a Christian god.

-by Bob B (1-12-25)

Look upon the ocean horizon
And tell me what perchance you see.
"I see a ship that's bringing enslaved
People to toil in the land of the free."

This happened over and over again.
Tell me: did black lives matter then?

I see families weeping together.
Ask them why? What did they say?
"They said their loved one was lynched by a mob
Who call themselves the KKK."

This happened over and over again.
Tell me: did black lives matter then?

Why are those people spitting on
Those kids seeking better schooling?
"They don't like the idea of
The country's integration ruling."

This happened over and over again.
Tell me: did black lives matter then?

Why are police using whips,
Tear gas, and clubs on marchers? Take note!
"Ah, they are demonstrators
Marching for the right to vote."

This happened over and over again.
Tell me: did black lives matter then?

Many people seem upset.
What might be the explanation?
"Disproportionate figures of
Brutality and incarceration."

This happens over and over again.
When so, do black lives matter then?

Some people say “All lives matter,”
But all lives haven't for hundreds of years.
Stop rivers of hate and injustice
That empty into an ocean of tears?

-by Bob B (6-9-20)

OH! MY! GOODNESS! PEOPLE!
I cannot believe what I'm seeing.
Take a really good look around;
You will notice that reason is fleeing.

Legislators in North Dakota
Proposed a crazy resolution
That clearly conflicts with what has been
Written in our constitution.

They want the state to acknowledge that over
All the world, Christ is king!
That has a very definite
Anti-constitutional ring.

Misinterpreting Biblical quotes,
They try to justify their position.
I wouldn't be surprised if they
Will next propose an inquisition!

(By the way, a lot of Christians
Don't understand what the Bible is saying,
How and when and why it was written,
And how it was altered. That is dismaying.)

Our Founding Fathers strongly believed
In separating church and state.
To put a religion above all others
Is something we MUST repudiate.

Christian nationalists are trying
To make a theocracy of the U.S.
They need to study our history,
Open their minds, and decompress.

If they want Christ to be the king
Over ALL the world in THEIR minds, fine.
But writing it into law? No way!
That is going way over the line!

-by Bob B (2-11-25)

After President Biden gave
His annual state of the union address,
Alabama's Senator Britt
Had some people to try to impress.

There she sat in the kitchen where
She gave her corny rebuttal speech,
Or maybe we should say that THAT's
The place from which she chose to preach.

She wanted Christian nationalists
To have a reason to rejoice,
And so she used what people call
Her sappy, "fundie° baby voice."

People who watched were flabbergasted.
There were Republicans as well
Who listened in disbelief and asked
One another "What the hell?"

Blaming all the nation's struggles
On President Biden, she showed her fixation
With following Trump's playbook regarding
Inflaming fears about immigration.

We later discover that some of her comments
Were really nothing but nasty lies.
Perhaps that's par for the course when there's
Someone or something to demonize.

Not to bear false witness is
One of the Ten Commandments. Aha!
Doesn't that mean that Senator Britt
Basically broke a religious law?

Oh, well! Hypocrisy
Is fine, I guess, for those who believe
That THEIR path is the ONLY path
And there are millions of folks to deceive.

-by Bob B (3-10-24)

°from "fundamentalist"

By keeping one's mouth shut, one might
Appear to be a stupid lout--
They say--however, by opening it,
The person thus removes all doubt.

That's a message that Donald Trump
Really ought to take to heart.
Often when he opens his mouth,
He comes off sounding not so smart.

Trump dismissed concerns about
His tariffs raising the price of toys.
And so when Christmas arrives this year,
Watch out, little girls and boys.

He says that kids this year might get
Just two dolls instead of THIRTY.
Once again, it looks as though
Trump is getting down and *****.

And, yes, those dolls are going to cost
A wee bit more, but that's okay.
Is the man entirely clueless?
What a stupid thing to say!

It sounds just like the comment he made
Regarding injecting ourselves with bleach.
He says the most ridiculous things
In every interview or speech.

Bringing and keeping prices down
Was part of his election campaign.
The nonsense we are going to have to
Put up with during the mad king's reign!

-by Bob B (5-2-25)

Californians, continue to be
Water wise, or water smart.
We can save our precious commodity
If all of us will do our part.

"But what do you mean?" some people ask.
"What--pray tell--are you talking about?"
Certainly, you've noticed that
We're in the midst of a multi-year drought.

Water, water everywhere?
Not right now; levels are low.
Many places are desperate for
Much more rain and winter snow.

"But I've been saving water," you say.
If that's the case, then good for you.
But ask yourself, "Now, is there
Anything else that I can do?"

Even shorter showers maybe;
Make that part of your routine.
Low-flush toilets also help,
And fewer loads in the washing machine.

When brushing your teeth, washing dishes,
Or shaving don't let the water run
And run. Only use what you need.
That, dear friends, is rule number one.

Droughts have always occurred, of course.
And too much water can be a curse.
But weather extremes are happening,
For climate change is making things worse.

We MUST explore more ways to capture
And save the water that we get.
Would we benefit from having
Greater water storage? You bet!

Just be aware of water usage;
Unnecessary usage must stop.
Bear in mind that we cannot
Afford to waste a single drop.

-by Bob B (7-10-21)

Life as we knew it has changed for now,
With concerts, theater, and sports on hold,
For COVID-19, a nasty virus,
Is NOT your typical flu or cold.

Daily life is a challenge lately.
Former routines are now a chore--
Little things, like going shopping
And bringing groceries home from the store.

So much that we took for granted,
We now see from a different perspective.
Functioning while saving lives
Has to be our main objective.

Every day it's coronavirus!
Every day it's in the news.
Day and night it's coronavirus.
I've got the COVID-19 blues.

The Center for Disease Control
Is muzzled by the current regime.
We hear White House "happy talk,"
But things are likely worse than they seem.

Trump and his White House staff all know
That testing is crucial--at least for them.
And yet they say that WE don't need it.
Misinformation with a capital "M."

We deserve expert guidance;
We need the truth and a workable plan.
We've heard one lie after another
Since this deadly pandemic began.

Every day it's coronavirus!
Every day it's in the news.
Day and night it's coronavirus.
I've got the COVID-19 blues.

It's hard to watch the public displays
Of ignorance and the flouting of rules.
Conspiracy theories are rapidly spreading,
And truthers continue to act like fools.

Although it's easy to feel depressed
When listening to the White House clown,
It's important that we do NOT
Let adversity get us down.

As much as I'd love to hug my family,
Go to the theater, and be with friends,
I will do my best to remain
Healthy until the danger ends.

But meanwhile, it's coronavirus!
Every day it's in the news.
Day and night it's coronavirus.
I've got the COVID-19 blues.

-by Bob B (5-9-20)

(This poem can be sung to the melody of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.)

D.T. from the White House balcony:

"To all my fans here, I want to say
That I need all your help and support
If I'm going to survive this outrageous ordeal.
It isn't easy.
Enemies want me to fail--yes, that's true.
Only my loyal supporters
Have known what they all have to do.

"For me to keep my power, I had to play.
There were things that I had to distort
To protect all I had and to make me seem real.
I had a mission.
I had to show you that I would come through--
That my people are number one--
While I"--sniff--"am just number two.

"Bow down to me, o my people.
You know I don't want to leave you.
The bonds we have here
Are hard to sever.
If you will let me,
I'll rule forever.

"Regarding experts, I have my own.
I listen to those who will spout
All the words and ideas to which I subscribe.
If they defy me.
I will see they're brought down, yes, for suffer they will.
Especially all of my friends
Who fear me on Capitol Hill.

"Bow down to me, o my people.
You know I don't want to leave you.
The bonds we have here
Are hard to sever.
If you will let me,
I'll rule forever.

"Since you're standing here,
There is something I am sure that you can all see:
All the talk out there about my super spreaders
In no way worries me."

-by Bob B (10-10-20)

Because COVID-19 is spreading
Rapidly around the globe,
Much to my dismay, I am
Becoming a major germophobe!

Taking care of groceries now
Takes a good part of the day.
I have to disinfect every
Item before I put it away.

Handles? Yes, I have to clean them--
On cabinets and on chests of drawers.
And all over the house I have to
Disinfect the knobs on the doors.

Remote controls? Telephones?
They all get the treatment, too.
My cell phone's probably crawling with bugs.
I hate to think what's on each shoe.

When going to the store, I say to myself,
"Be careful about all that you touch."
And what about the shopping cart?
This is getting to be too much!

My wallet? My money? My credit cards?
All of them might be harboring germs.
Where can we find a germ-free surface?
Is THAT a contradiction in terms?

Everything now is a major process--
A step-by-step procedure to rid
Everything we touch of the virus.
But really, whom are we trying to kid?

What about airborne droplets
Of COVID-19? Another worry.
If anyone near me sneezes or coughs,
I try to get away in a hurry.

When I come home, do I have to
Change my clothes just in case?
I almost need to tie down my hands
In order to keep from touching my face!

At gas station pumps, at ATMs,
The sneaky virus could also be lurking.
Should I wear a mask in public?
Many feel that masks are working.

No handshakes, kisses, or hugs, for I
Must keep a safe distance from all.
My hand sanitizer should have
A large amount of alcohol.

Alcohol? Hmmm. If it
Can **** the virus, could I be
Safe if I drink daily martinis?
Would that keep me virus-free?

Wishful thinking, I guess. I'll have to
Be mindful of every move that I make.
I'd MUCH rather be safe than sorry;
It's good to be cautious for everyone's sake.

-by Bob B (4-1-20)

As the world mourns the death of Alexei Navalny,
The truth of how he died won't be disclosed--
At least while Putin maintains an iron grip on the country,
For we all know he hates being opposed.

Beware of mourning in public if you live in Russia
Or if you demand the truth of Navalny's death.
Beware of consequences when your country is run
By someone who's as cruel as Lady Macbeth.

Russian penal colonies are far from pleasant,
But no one expects them to be comfy resorts.
However, couldn’t conditions at least be more humane?
Inmates end up in a torture chamber of sorts.

"Sudden death syndrome" is how Navalny died.
That's what we're told. Sounds suspicious, no?
That could run the gamut from colds or flu to ******.
However he died, his death was a horrible blow.

Beware if you go to Russia while Putin is in control,
For speaking your mind might be something you rue.
As long as the tyrant continues to have unlimited powers,
"Sudden death syndrome" could happen to you.

-by Bob B (2-18-24)

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)

Among the many biblical myths,
My favorite is the story
Of Noah and his ark, which is
A borrowed allegory. 🤔

It's fun to imagine how Noah could manage
To fit into his boat
Two of every 8 million species
And keep his boat afloat. 🤣

There are folks around the world
Who have long insisted
That Noah and that gigantic ark
Actually existed. 😮

Somebody built a "replica,"
And people find it ducky
To visit it at the Ark Encounter
In the state of Kentucky. 🤪

Tour guides take groups to Turkey
To look for the ark each year.
If people spend their money on that,
One thing's crystal clear:

They are surely being fleeced.
Maybe they don't mind it.
But they should forget about seeking the ark,
For they ain’t gonna find it. 😉

-by Bob B (2-14-25)

Humpty Trumpty,
You have some gall.
Humpty Trumpty,
One day you'll fall.
Fawning supporters
And your business men
Will not put you back
Together again.

Humpty Trumpty,
Your sinecure
You think will last.
Don’t be so sure.
What you are asking
We simply won't do.
We bet they'll all be
Decisions you'll rue.

Humpty Trumpty,
What a con game!
Humpty Trumpty,
Have you no shame?
Stop all this talk of
America first.
Of human beings
You're CLEARLY the worst!

Humpty Trumpty,
You'll hear the call.
With great relief,
We'll watch you fall.
And even your lackeys
Who give you support
Will soon be saying,
"We'll SEE you in court!"

-by Bob B (3-31-25)

You'd better mind your p's and q's
And pay attention to the news
Or you'll be stuck forevermore
In a prison in El Salvador.

Trump has made a special deal
With that country, and it's real.
And CECOT° gets Trump's rubber stamp
For being a concentration camp.

Deportees are being--you see--
Sent there quite illegally.
Watch out if you have a tattoo,
For Trump might say good-bye to you,

And off to the prison you'll be flown,
Down there in the torrid zone.
Forget due process; it doesn't exist
For those on Trump's get-rid-of list.

People with even a legal status
Are victims of Trump's apparatus
Of hate and fear and terror and find
Themselves locked up in a real bind.

Once you're there, your rights have ceased.
Most likely, you won't be released.
Even if they admit mistakes,
The government says, Hey, that's the breaks.

Today deportees; tomorrow who knows
Will join the prisoners. That's how it goes
When autocrats are in control
And total power is their goal.

-by Bob B (4-17-25)

°Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Terrorism Confinement Center)

Having survived a heart attack,
I find that I am now inclined
To always have a piercing question
That surfaces from the depths of my mind:

Could it--will it--happen again?
The question is a normal one
After such an experience,
Which definitely was NOT very fun.

When you had no warning signs,
It makes you even more uncertain.
If life's a stage, will Death decide
To stop the play and close the curtain?

Uncertainty is a part of life.
That's just the way it is, and so,
Instead of trying to fight it, I guess,
It's better to merely go with the flow.

In the meantime, what should I do?
Eat healthy foods, exercise,
Take my meds, avoid too much salt
And sugar and stress, and try to be wise.

Appreciating all that life
Has to offer before life ends,
I hope to share this appreciation
With family and all my friends.

Time waits for no one, they say.
It passes by us lickety-split.
Living is a special gift,
So make the optimal use of it.

-by Bob B (6-26-23)

Trolls abound on the Internet,
Creeping out of the dark, like moles.
The ones who lurk on poetry sites
Are better known as poetry trolls.

Poetry trolls attack other poets
With their combative analyses.
Their belligerent behavior
Borders on what might be a disease.

They often feel compelled to respond,
As though they have to give their two cents.
The pat they give themselves on the back
Must be a form of recompense.

Offering nonconstructive comments
Is one of their central attributes.
They think they're being insightful, but
Instead, they come off sounding like brutes.

Nasty, vicious, they seem to thrive
On looking for folks to demean or attack.
It's almost as though these people are trying
To compensate for something they lack.

Are their lives so miserable,
Or are they so deeply insecure
That showing restraint in commenting
Is more than these poor souls can endure?

In dealing with these crazy people,
Frankly, you simply cannot go wrong
If you ignore their comments and dump them
Into the trash can where they belong.

-by Bob B (1-19-22)

Strongman Trump has pardoned his thugs.
All along that was his plan.
It's hard to contain one's disgust for such
A vile, shameless, malevolent man.

The thugs had stormed the Capitol.
Because of them, people are dead.
They weren't tourists spreading their love
As Trump in their defense has said.

Many were violent criminals:
Seditious conspirators--bold and proud--
Along with vicious cop assaulters.
Malicious vandals were there in the crowd.

We know that Trump has always had
The lowest standards for pardons ever.
Have we ever seen such a horrible
Abuse of the pardon power? Never!

Clemency for all these thugs?
He's just appealing to his base.
He says it's far too cumbersome
To study the matter case by case.

If any thugs want tours of the Capitol,
Lauren Boebert is taking calls.
Maybe they can show her where
They wiped their feces on the walls.

We hear that Trump has also invited
Some to the White House. Wouldn't you say
That THAT is a slap in the face to the injured
Officers who were there that day?

Strongmen pardon supporters who will
Perpetrate violence on their behalf.
"He thumbed his nose at democracy"
Should ONE day be Trump's epitaph.

-by Bob B (1-23-25)

The highest court in Arizona,
Stuck in 1864,
Just dug up an abortion ruling
Written during the Civil War.

Amazingly, the seven judges
Must have found a time machine,
And no, this is not a film
We're watching on the giant screen.

The law banning nearly all
Abortions was a barricade
To women's right to choose until
It was blocked by Roe v. Wade.

Reflecting the times, the law exposes
Feelings that were deeply rooted.
Physicians who assisted women
Could easily be prosecuted.

Hmmm. I wonder where the court's
Time machine will take them next.
Will they soon unearth another
Old, antiquated text?

Republicans who might agree
With what the court is doing, now
Are scaling back their rhetoric
In hopes that they'll squeak through somehow.

All who champion women's rights
Should honestly be mortified.
Choosing to favor the court's decision
Should be political suicide.

Fortunately, a lot of folks
Who've heard the news are having fits.
Take out your sledgehammers
And smash that time machine to bits!

-by Bob B (4-11-24)

People often say what they wish,
And when they do, it's always nice
When speakers of English express themselves
In language that is clear and precise.

Presently, if you're somewhere else,
And I would rather have you near,
And if I were speaking with you on the phone,
I'd say, "I really wish you were here."

If, however, I speak of the past,
And my disappointment I wish to convey
Because you couldn't be where I was,
"I wish you had been there" is what I would say.

For "wish" situations, if present, think past:
"I wish I knew the method right now."
Here I am saying that if I were able
To demonstrate something, I'd show you how.

For past situations, think past perfect:
"I wish I had known the secret back then."
Whatever the secret was, this means
That I didn't know it way back when.

"I wish she were able to join us today."
"We wish we had a million bucks."
"I wish you had been at the game with us."
"He wishes he hadn't said, 'That *****!'"

When "wish" expressions are used with care
And modeled for others to hear and read,
We say exactly what we mean,
And that is marvelous indeed!

-by Bob B (6-11-24)

Far-right extremists have made
A film to promote their crusade.
It's just a stupid series
Of conspiracy theories.
So far from the truth they have strayed!

It's frightfully scary how some
Could do something that is so dumb.
Immune to reproaches,
Just like creepy roaches,
From out of the woodwork they come.

-by Bob B (5-10-20)