I never used to swear that much.
Really. But things have changed.
It's hard to keep from doing it when
One's president is deranged.

His constant tweets are maddening.
I really have to admit
That when I read them, I say he's full of
A word that rhymes with "spit."

To watch his reckless and smug demeanor
Makes me rather sick.
I can't help thinking he acts just like
A word that rhymes with "trick."

When I'm really incensed and feel
He's acting like a schmuck,
Before I can stop it, a word slips out--
A word that rhymes with "duck."

As I watch him destroy this country,
A phrase emerges, which
Starts with the word "son" and ends
With a word that rhymes with "twitch."

When he lies, my sense of decorum
Is difficult to sustain,
And I cannot refrain from taking
A certain name in vain.

When I've lost it, I say that he's--
And I am totally frank--
A blankety-blank, blankety-blanking
Blankety blankety blank.

I know that losing one's cool is not
Behavior considered sublime,
But what the heck? The president
Cusses all the time.

-by Bob B (10-15-20)

When Santa returned to the slushy North Pole--
Effects of global warming, you see--
He sat down in his old recliner,
Sighed, and muttered, "Oh, dear me."

Mrs. Claus--who had been in bed--
Entered the room and felt distressed
To see her hubby in such a state--
So disconsolate and depressed.

She offered to make him a cup of hot coffee--
Something that Santa would never refuse--
As he wrote lyrics to what he called
"The Merry Little Christmas Blues":°

"I don't like what's happening to Christmas;
It's just not the same.
It's now so
Commercial that it's such a shame.

"I don't like what's happening to Christmas;
Gone are peace and joy.
I now fear
For every little girl and boy.

"Wars rage on bringing suffering
All around the world. So sad.
Many folks follow autocrats.
Oh, I think the world's gone mad.

"If the people will not say good-bye to
Hatred, war, and greed,
I fear that compassion cannot intercede.
Compassion's what all people in the world need."

That's what Santa sang to the missus,
And she--poor lady--started to cry.
Santa then repeated two stanzas
While gently wiping a tear from his eye.

"Wars rage on bringing suffering
All around the world. So sad.
Many folks follow autocrats.
Oh, I think the world's gone mad.

"If the people will not say good-bye to
Hatred, war, and greed,
I fear that compassion cannot intercede.
Compassion's what all people in the world need."

"I'm sorry, my dear," said Mrs. Claus,
"But your sad song is making me weep.
You have had a busy night.
Go lie down and get some sleep."

-by Bob B (12-28-24)

°Santa wrote his lyrics to a blues version of the melody to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Russian attacks in Ukraine are taking
Such a humanitarian toll
As Putin tries to pull the Russian
People down his rabbit hole.

A "military operation"
Is what he calls it. The words are his.
It's actually an invasion, a war.
Call it what it REALLY is.

But if you live in Russia and say
The truth, your words will be contested.
Call the move an invasion and you
Will very likely be arrested.

In Ukraine, residential
Sections of cities are under attack.
By bombing civilians, Putin hopes
The country's spirit soon will crack.

Even though Ukrainian
Resistance under attack is stunning,
Civilians know that it's run or die,
And oftentimes they're killed while running.

They say that 1.7 million
Ukrainian refugees have fled.
That seems a better option than staying
And being counted among the dead.

The breadbasket of Europe, Ukraine
Provides many countries with wheat.
Now because of the Russian invasion,
There's going to be less for people to eat.

Unhinged Putin has his plan
And won't let anything get in the way.
But wars have many consequences,
And war criminals should pay.

-by Bob B (3-8-22)

When I wear my mask,
It feels like a disguise.
If I smile, I hope that you
Can see it in my eyes.
I admit a mask
Is not so fun to wear.
And if it makes me look a little
Dorky, I don’t care.

I know my mask is not
Foolproof, but I suppose
It’ll keep some viral droplets
Out of my mouth and nose.
And when I take it off
At any time or place,
What I have to tell myself is
“Do not touch your face!”

Trying to keep my sanity and stay alive,
I’m hoping a vaccine will soon arrive.

My designer masks
Are really quite unique.
But frankly, I won’t go so far
To say that I look chic.
Who would have guessed?
What a crazy year!
Ten months ago I never thought
About protective gear.

We all know, of course,
Pandemics are not fun.
All the repercussions touch
Each and everyone.
But we do not know
All that might ensue
If we do not carry out
The things we ought to do.

Trying to keep my sanity and stay alive,
I’m hoping a vaccine will soon arrive.

If scientists create
A new vaccine, then we
Also have to wonder how
Effective it will be.
But I look forward to
A lovely future day
When I can leave my masks off and
Can put them all away.

Trying to keep my sanity and stay alive,
I’m hoping a vaccine will soon arrive.

-by Bob B (5-10-20)

I want to see beyond the mountains,
Know what's hiding deep in the sea,
And survey the fascinating features
Of the human heart's topography.

We can scale the towering peaks
So we can see what lies beyond,
And we can probe the ocean’s depths
To understand that giant pond.

The human heart's more problematic;
So many secrets are hidden deep.
At times its depths are hard to fathom,
Its self-protective walls too steep.

We must always keep on searching
And NOT assume that we comprehend
All that can be known, for knowledge
Has no boundaries, no end.

If going beyond our human knowledge
We tap into the Absolute,
Imagine the bliss of suddenly seeing
A transformed being taking root!

-by Bob B (5-17-20)

(Try singing this poem to the tune of Bob Dylan's song "Blowin' in the Wind.")

How many lies can a president tell
Until people say, “That’s enough”?
How often can one man play a hard game
Until someone else calls his bluff?
How long till people stand up to hate
And give it a fitting rebuff?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

How many clouds must darken the sky
Before we can feel the cold rain?
How long must people suffer in life
Until we can feel their pain?
How can a leader within a short time
Destroy what is hard to regain?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

How many laws can a president break
Until Congress tells him, "You're fired!"?
How can a leader have so many duds
Among the people he's hired?
What does it take for the voters to say,
"We've had it; your time has expired"?
The thing you must do is listen to your heart;
You must try to listen to your heart.

-by Bob B (1-15-20)

Mike Pence paid a visit
To the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
Does the man have any sense?
Apparently, not one iota.

Everyone else around him was wearing
A mask, but oh, no, not he.
And he is supposed to be leading the COVID-
Nineteen task force. What a VP!

He said he wanted to thank people
By looking at them right in the eye.
He can't do that while wearing a mask?
His reasoning's hard to justify.

If eye contact while wearing protection
Is hard for him, then we should ask
If someone could PLEASE show the man
How to properly wear a mask!

He also stood very close to others.
Does the man not understand
What social distancing means? I guess
He lives in Michael's Wonderland.

Or does he think that God will protect him
From getting the virus because of prayer?
God would probably think, "Fool!
I had masks made for you to wear!"

Leaders ought to lead by example.
Sadly, Trump and his admin would rather
Provide us with mixed messages
And lies as on and on they blather.

-by Bob B (4-29-20)

My memories give me a lot of comfort,
And every single one of them mends
My heart, which suffers from the loss
Of family, relatives, and friends.

Ah, those glorious days we spent
Together as we journeyed through life,
Sharing love, laughter, and cheer,
And sometimes struggles through storm and strife.

Lifetimes have varied--some were cut short
Long before we'd ever expected.
They are considered short stories
Among life's stories that we've collected.

Others have been more fortunate.
Their lives are Russian novels, I'd say.
They lived through multiple generations--
Their skin grew wrinkled; their hair turned gray.

Some folks plan to reunite
With loved ones for all eternity.
Others are more inclined to believe
The idea: whatever will be will be.

Of course, we'd rather have the departed
With us, and in a way they are.
The light of their being shines on us
As does the light of a distant star.

Therefore, take comfort in memories--
A gentle balm that after a while
Will ease your anguish, lessen your pain,
Dry your tears, and make you smile.

-by Bob B (1-4-23)

(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.)

From recent floods in the state of Texas,
More than 100 lives have been lost.
Natural disasters can mean
That there's a tremendous human cost.

The horror and the tragedy
Cannot be overemphasized;
Nor can the magnitude of all
The suffering be verbalized.

We should lament the loss of lives
But NOT let ourselves get carried away
By false interpretations, which
Make no sense in the world today.

Governor Abbott of Texas has said
That prayers "could have been the reason
Why water stopped rising" where the storm
Took place this deadly monsoon season.

He thanked "God almighty" for having
Blessed his state. What a shame!
God always gets the credit
But never seems to get the blame.

If God was so concerned, then why
Did he even allow the slaughter
Of innocent people who were trapped
By rising, rushing river water?

What Abbott should be focusing on
Is public safety and being prepared
For such disasters, so in the future
Many more human lives can be spared.

Without research, adequate staffing,
Climate-change mitigation,
And smart, effective alert systems,
We will see more devastation.

Making a private matter a public
Announcement is what’s at issue here.
Abbott can pray as much as he wants
If that is something that he holds dear.

He makes God sound just like Trump:
Someone who without a doubt
Loves to start a fire and then
Receive great praise for putting it out.

-by Bob B (7-9-25)

Elections do have consequences.
Apathy is detrimental.
Putting in office the wrong person
Is not merely coincidental.

Some people say, "No problem
If Donald Trump abuses his power.
He's giving me exactly what
I want, so why should I be sour?"

Other people--regarding their jobs--
Complacently say, "I’ve got work.
So why shouldn’t I vote for him,
Even though the man is a ****?”

Many might say, “I don’t care
How he acts or how much he lies.
MY life is going smoothly.
That's not something I'll jeopardize."

Regarding election meddling by
Foreign powers, people say,
"If it helps the president
To get elected, fire away."

"So what if White nationalists
Infect the White House," some insist.
"Don't racists and bigots and haters
Also have the right to exist?"

People say, "Trump has an ego
And acts like a child if no one feeds it.
So what if we've lost respect in the world.
To hell with respect! Bah, who needs it?"

And then there are also those who believe
Every word he utters, as though
They can't see that the more he speaks,
The more we know what he doesn't know.

Yes, elections matter a lot.
Know what's real; know what's fake.
Our future is hanging in the balance;
The soul of our nation is what's at stake.

-by Bob B (1-14-20)

COVID-19 continues to spread.
We know that for a fact.
And yet it took the feds such
A long time to act.

Trump's denial at first didn't
Help the matter at all.
There are obvious consequences
When nations' leaders stall.

Trump supporters on TV report,
"People die every day
In swimming pools and accidents."
Obnoxious things to say!

One thing that makes their arguments
So utterly outrageous
Is that auto accidents
And pools are NOT contagious!

To save the economy, let people die?
That is what they're implying.
Their callousness and thoughtlessness
Are truly horrifying.

Trump's approach flip-flops daily,
From what we can see.
He wants ultimate power but no
Responsibility.

When state governors implement
Guidelines on his list,
He stupidly tells fanatic fans
To publicly resist.

He tells the country's governors
It's all in their hands.
Inept and lacking empathy,
He's tired of their demands.

By making them all fend for themselves,
He can later claim
That if the situation worsens,
They'll be the ones to blame.

It's all about the election to him--
That his power survives.
He hopes that no one sees how he's playing
Politics with our lives.

We can't move forward if we do not
Implement widespread testing.
Test, isolate, treat, and trace
Are what we should be requesting.

As one governor succinctly says--
Not wanting to blunder--
That it's much better to be six feet
Apart than six feet under.

-by Bob B (4-18-20)

Some folks don't like Harris's giggle;
Some folks do not like her laugh.
Some don't like what people say
When they speak on her behalf.

Some, of course, don’t like the fact
That she's a Democrat. Oh, my!
And some would never cast their vote
For her because she's not a guy!

Some don't like her stance on women's
Reproductive rights and choice.
There are those who say they can't
Stand to listen to her voice.

And, of course, there are many
Who think that it is quite all right
To say that they would never vote
For her because she isn't White.

When I hear such stupid, racist,
Misogynistic reasons, I'll stress--
And many folks must also agree--
That all of that is pure BS!

They'd rather vote for a man, who,
When asked difficult questions, balks?
They'd VOTE for a man who sounds just like
A racist and fascist when he talks?

A man who'll chase down his opponents?
(We all know he's keeping tallies.)
Whose speakers belittle Puerto Ricans
When speaking at his campaign rallies?

Dehumanizing immigrants
In general is Trump's M.O.
You think he will not go any lower?
Just WATCH! You'll see how low he'll go.

Even if a person doesn't
Agree with Harris one hundred percent,
How could anyone not think that
She'd be a better president?

Protecting our democracy:
That's the pivotal issue here.
Should people vote for her or him?
The answer should be very clear.

-by Bob B (10-28-24)

In Trump's mad world, we are seeing
That competence is not required,
For loyalty will get you the job,
And disloyalty will get you fired.

Just imagine the people least
Fit for a job: THEY'RE Trump's picks.
So now we have a government
Run by a bunch of lunatics!

His Cabinet members are out to destroy
The very agencies that they run.
WE are not their major concern;
It's singing the praises of number one.

When White House daily briefings must
Be dumbed down for Trump, we know
That we are very vulnerable.
Our situation is touch and go.

When asked difficult questions, Trump
Rambles on and his face goes blank.
It's pretty obvious that he
Is running on an empty tank.

When the defense secretary
And Trump are asked about Ukraine,
They shake their heads and cannot answer
The journalists' questions. That's insane!

In fact, when Trump is asked about
Specific accountability,
He responds in the following manner:
"I don't know; YOU tell me."

Is Trump demented, insane, or stupid?
Or is it that he just doesn't care?
Before his election, there was a warning
Loud and clear: Voter beware!

Carrying out vendettas, golfing,
And making money are Trump's concerns.
He sells his wares and makes his deals
While rivers flood and the nation burns.

When difficult problems arise, he just
Passes the buck and shifts the blame.
His major focus seems to be
The Trump brand. What a shame!

-by Bob B (7-12-25)

They say we must be careful
Not to spread our germs.
Here's a situation with which
We've got to come to terms.
Viruses can be deadly--
Especially one like this.
This one isn't one that we
Can easily dismiss.

Wash your hands with soap,
Cover your mouth when you sneeze,
And do not touch your face with unwashed
Hands, geez Louise!
Avoid crowded spaces
To keep the virus from spreading.
To extreme social distancing:
That's where we are heading.

If you have a symptom
That makes you nervous, you
Should first of all not panic because
It might be the flu.
Stay home and be cautious;
Be sure to isolate
Yourself from others, for COVID-19
Doesn't discriminate.

If your test results
Indicate that yes,
You have caught the virus, then
Don't run to the press.
Let your doctor know.
To do that don't think twice.
Do everything in your power to follow
The doctor's sound advice.

Let's all do our part
To get this under control
So life can go on as before.
That should be our goal.
However, if you choose
To live life recklessly,
And end up catching the virus, well,
Don't give it to me!

-by Bob B (3-18-20)

So Mike Johnson° and Mitch McConnell°°
Are angry with Harris, for she
Called Donald Trump a fascist.
Oh, my goodness me!

Let's just say there COULD be a reason
Why she went out on a limb:
She was just agreeing with
People who'd worked with him.

General Kelly°°° and General Milley°°°°
Expressed a condemnation
Directed at Trump. They said he was
A dangerous threat to this nation.

Perhaps there is another reason
Why she would concur.
But first, let's look at some of the things
That Trump has said about her:

He has called her a communist,
A fascist and Marxist and still
Continues to say that she is stupid
And also mentally ill.

When Trump criticizes others--
Something he'll often do--
His words reflect aspects of
Himself. That's so true!

Frankly, after hearing and seeing
All he's said and done,
If either of the two were a fascist,
HE would be the one.

Mike Johnson and Mitch McConnell
Ought to open their eyes
To see how they hurt America
By spreading MAGA lies.

-by Bob B (10-26-24)

°Current speaker of the House
°°Senate minority leader
°°°Former White House chief of staff
°°°°Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

When a loved one dies,
Our lives take a sudden turn.
It’s something we often forget--
Something we have to relearn.

Reasons and explanations
Remain beyond our ken.
We learn our lives will never
Be the same again.

Our heart, laden with sorrow
And pushed to the point of breaking,
Becomes overwhelmed
With painful, relentless aching.

Memories might console us
And give us some relief,
But nothing can prevent
Another visit from Grief.

When he pays a visit,
He tells us he's our friend,
Although his true intentions
Are hard to comprehend.

Quietly, he approaches
And whispers in our ear,
"Know that in the future
I will always be near."

-by Bob B (2-7-20)

There's a guy who always was
The paragon of health.
His fitness was a thing he treasured
Even more than wealth.
He said that exercise and eating
Well will keep you strong.
If he got a cold it never
Lasted very long.
He took daily vitamins
And supplements galore.
His favorite place to shop in seemed
To be the health food store.
He said that he'd take drugs but only
As a last resort.
Well, now he's taking pills, but they
Are of a different sort.

He takes a pill for his thyroid and
One to help him sleep.
There's one he takes for arthritis;
That one isn't cheap.
He takes one for anxiety--
To elevate his mood.
Some he takes on an empty stomach,
And some he takes with food.
He takes a pill for cholesterol;
Another one's for his heart.
All the different shapes and colors
Help him tell them apart.
The one he takes for his prostate helps him
When he has to ***.
Now without his stash of pills
He wonders where he'd be.

So, if you're down on drugs, I think
This gentleman will contend
That certain medications help you
Avoid an early end.
The only thing, he says, is meds
Are not a problem as such,
But why the hell do some meds have to
Cost so very much?
On ONE hand we can say that drugs
Might help us to survive.
And yet because of side effects,
We're lucky to be alive.
If you think that you've been lucky,
You might have been. That's true.
But when you reach a certain age,
THIS might happen to you:

You MIGHT need a pill for your thyroid and
One to help you sleep.
You MIGHT need one for arthritis;
Some of them aren't cheap.
You MIGHT need one for anxiety--
To elevate your mood.
Be sure to read the directions because
Some you take with food.
You MIGHT need a pill for cholesterol,
Or maybe one for your heart.
All the different shapes and colors
Help you tell them apart.
Men, your prostate pill will help you
When you have to ***.
Ladies, you'll take something else;
You WON'T get off scot-free.

Yes, without our stash of pills
I wonder where we'd be.

-by Bob B (1-13-20)

IF a warning falls on deaf ears,
Does it make a sound?
If people are led astray, can they
Eventually come round?

The more Trump talks, the more we can
See a mental decline.
We can also see that he
Has truly crossed the line.

He says the country is overrun
By criminals Brown and Black.
So people of color and immigrants
Are under constant attack.

Execution or deportation
Are two parts of his plan--
And with the help of the military!
Oh, he's a dangerous man.

Never before has America
Faced such a dire threat.
And people who fear Trump's rhetoric
Have reason to be upset.

Many disenchanted people
Are looking for someone to hate.
As Trump hands them scapegoats, they're
Willing to take the bait.

"Evil" people "infect" this country.
That is what he claims.
Immigrants and Democrats
Are the ones he blames.

The race science of Naziism
Clearly comes out in his speeches.
War zones, "illegals," and migrant crime:
That is what he preaches.

Experts have warned us what a second
Term for Trump would mean:
A scary nation, the likes of which
Here we've never seen.

-by Bob B (10-14-24)

I’ve made it! Where? To poem one thousand--
"Published" for people to read online.
Every time I finish a new one,
I get a feeling that's hard to define--

Not because it's a tour de force,
A magnum opus, or masterpiece;
It's just the idea of letting thoughts flow
And then feeling a sense of release.

Call it a marriage of thoughts and expression:
That's what writing is tantamount to.
I sometimes wonder: do you find
A poem, or does a poem find you?

I still enjoy the challenge of rhyme.
Up to now that's been my choice.
After hundreds of poems, rhythm
And rhyme have helped me to find my voice.

I like to merge poems and songs,
So, often I write with a tune in my head.
Some of my critics ask me, "Aren't
Some things better left unsaid?"

Oh, no, no! I have to reply.
When life gives you a little nudge,
You let thoughts out, come what may.
But true, the reader will be the judge.

Since there's such a wealth of topics,
And time's no issue since I'm retired,
So long as my Muse inspires me,
I'll write until I am labeled "Expired."

-by Bob B (5-1-20)

(This poem could be sung to the melody of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic.")

We know that there are folks out there who say they love to teach.
Some of them should know that they should practice what they preach.
Even THOUGH the preacher Jimmy Swaggart gave a fiery speech,
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

You heard him speak with thunder as he stood upon the stage,
And whenever he would talk of Satan, he was filled with rage.
But the money that flowed in was more than just a living wage.
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

And of course he slammed Jim Bakker just before his fall from grace.
An adulterer was Bakker, Swaggart said with a straight face.
After THAT he went and found himself a ****** to embrace.
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

After WHAT he'd done, poor Swaggart claimed to be oh so contrite.
And even though he knew that seeing hookers wasn't right,
He found another one and she was NOT an acolyte.
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

He was LESS remorseful this time, and he said that what he'd done
Wasn't ANYBODY else's business. Oh, the tale he'd spun!
When a preacher misbehaves so, he cannot fool everyone.
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

So I wonder now if many folks out there feel much regret--
I mean THOSE who helped him fund his fancy palace and his jet.
Though he's PASSED away, there's something that we all should not forget:
Hypocrisy lives on.

CHORUS:
While they're singing hallelujah,
They can really sock it to ya.
Some of them are out to ***** ya.
Hypocrisy lives on.

-by Bob B (7-5-25)

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)

Donald Trump never ever
Likes to be outdone.
Now he's teaching a brand new course:
Autocracy 101.
Trumplicans are fine with that;
Most of them don't care.
They'll bend over with utmost glee
To kiss his derrière.

Instead of working with current laws,
Trumplicans have a solution:
Let Trump do what he wants to AND
Ignore the Constitution.
We can see where their fealty lies;
It's NOT with the law of the land.
It's with their ruler who wants them all
To bow to his every command.

When Trump does NOT like test results,
He fires his physician.
When numbers aren't what he expects,
He fires the statistician.
When he's involved in scandals and doesn't
Like the people's reactions,
He diverts attention with
Conspiracy-based distractions.

If he thinks he is losing votes
And doesn't like the projections,
He'll encourage some of the states
To rig our future elections.
If he objects to certain decisions--
And we know he holds grudges--
He will blast the lawyers and also
Try to remove the judges.

When interviewed, he knows that there
Are people to pacify,
So he has no compunction about
Telling a whopping lie.
Since he can't take criticism,
Companies get two choices:
Settle in court for millions of dollars,
Or stifle critics' voices.

Surrounding him, Trump must have
His loyalists who fear
That they'll be fired if they don't tell him
What he wants to hear.
The truth becomes irrelevant;
"Facts" become invented.
A sentence we hear frequently
Is "That's unprecedented!"

And while he's bringing the country down,
His mind is growing dim.
If he continues to get his way,
Our future will look quite grim.
I always used to enjoy attending
Classes that were fun,
But NOT the one that Trump is giving:
Autocracy 101.

-by Bob B (8-4-25)

Fifty-six years ago!
For progress, what a boon!
Neil Armstrong, our astronaut,
Stepped onto the moon.

One of the greatest achievements of science
Since the world began:
He called it a "giant leap for mankind,"
And "one small step for a man."

Many of us who were living back then
Watched it on TV
Since it was being transmitted down here
For all the world to see.

However, science skeptics now
Think they're being deceived
And seem to prefer the times when people
Were killed for what they believed.

Humankind is greatly threatened
When people haven't learned
That ignorance is a dangerous thing
And science shouldn't be spurned.

Let's SING the praises, whether or not
You can carry a tune,
Of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin,
Who walked upon the moon.

-by Bob B (7-20-25)

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)

The music is playing; it's NOT "Brigadoon."
But WE can still hear a familiar tune--
A tune that Trump likes when he's hiding his faults.
This one is known as the Trump-Epstein waltz.

Trump is upset and is starting to squirm.
Things are not running so smoothly this term.
He's taking spaghetti to throw at the wall
To see what will stick, and so HE gives his all.

Obama and Hillary Clinton are now
His targets as he tries to show people how
The two were both treasonous. Trump's such a kid!
He blames them for having done JUST what he did!

To serve as another distraction, Trump's team--
Showing how good they can be when they scheme--
Released certain records: the MLK files.
They hope they can lead us off track with their wiles.

Epstein's accomplice, convicted of crimes,
Is sitting in prison. I'm SURE oftentimes
She wonders if she'll die from "suicide," too.
Or will she be pardoned by Trump? What think you?

The lawyers for Trump want to talk with her, so,
A deal might be made, and then THEY’LL let her go.
She'll HAVE to agree that she won't testify,
And IF she must do it, they'll want her to lie.

As Trump rambles on spouting nonsense, it's clear
That his mental issues are now more severe.
He hopes that the mess will blow over; the crook
Thinks IF he wastes time he will be off the hook.

So watch as Trump dances across the dance floor
To music that we have all heard played before.
He LOVES to distract us when hiding his faults.
This time he's dancing the Trump-Epstein waltz.

-by Bob B (7-23-25)

(The following poem can be sung to the melody of "The Major-General's Song" from Gilbert and Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Check it out on YouTube. The first STRESSED syllable in each line is the SECOND syllable.)

Trump IS the very model of a modern major autocrat.
He sidles up to despots and we see him do a lot o' that.
He thinks he is a genius who displays originality
And doesn't understand that he is reeking of banality.
He doesn’t like diplomacy and has no grasp of history.
How people can put up with him is really quite a mystery.
He fans the fires of discontent and lives for praise and flattery,
And if he doesn't get them he resorts to verbal battery.

He WANTS complete control to rule the country with an iron fist.
He's NOTHING but an ego-driven maniac and narcissist.
He thumbs his nose at democratic ways and does a lot o’ that,
For he’s the very model of a modern major autocrat.

He scorns the rule of law and doesn't care if he's a criminal.
His instincts for corruption are much more than just subliminal.
He hopes that crypto currency will fill his coffers to the brim
And acts as though he doesn't care about what allies think of him.
He's fired a lot of workers and he boasts that he’s expedient.
His sycophants must fawn on him and prove that they’re obedient.
The gifts and money that he gets affect his greedy attitude.
His favors in return display how he will show his gratitude.

Regarding scientists and experts, Trump will ask, "What good are they?"
Since HE is such a know-it-all, it doesn't matter what they say.
He thumbs his nose at democratic ways and does a lot o’ that,
For he’s the very model of a modern major autocrat.

While more detention camps pop up--there's one now in the Everglades--
It seems that he is trying to distract us from his sexcapades,
For he and Jeffrey Epstein often seemed to be contiguous.
That they were friends was obvious and clearly not ambiguous.
But now that he's in power he will use the DOJ, of course,
To threaten and intimidate his "enemies" with no remorse.
And once he has control of what the media can say to us,
Imagine all the lies that he will force it to convey to us.

How sad to have a president who oozes such hypocrisy
Become the biggest threat we've ever seen to our democracy!
He thumbs his nose at democratic ways and does a lot o’ that,
For he’s the very model of a modern major autocrat.

-by Bob B (8-7-25)

Just in case you're unaware,
There are many folks out there
Who sadly have been rounded up
And wrongfully detained.

A president who's unrelenting
And WHO is always circumventing
Laws is pushing cruelty;
In him that is ingrained.

He called his act a state of war
And sent folks to El Salvador
Where many were mistreated; they
Were tortured and abused.

A lot of people living here
Are forced to live in constant fear
Of what the government might do
And methods being used.

Folks are snatched from off the street.
Plain-clothed, masked, and indiscreet,
The "agents" representing ICE
Are really crooks and thugs.

Citizens are targets, too.
If YOU are one, what would you do
If you were stopped and held for hours
Or days? But Trump just shrugs.

Is this what we've come to be?
What happened to the land where we
Believed in rights, due process, and
The vital rule of law?

Republicans in Congress! How
Can they support what's happening now?
Ask them what they think and they
Will merely hem and haw.

The situation we are in--
I mean the color of our skin--
Can put a target on our backs,
As cruel as that might sound.

Don't let silence be your guide.
Be vigilant and open-eyed.
Empty the detention camps
And burn them to the ground.

-by Bob B (7-26-25)

We knew that Jeffrey Epstein was a cad and palled around
With Donald Trump his buddy, and in friendship they were bound.
But after his conviction, Jeffrey Epstein wondered why
Trump would lie and tell the press he barely knew the guy.

Chorus:
Oh, Jeff Epstein! You did not die for me.
But your death they say was suicide, and that's a mystery.

We hear a lot of what the people call the Epstein files.
We know that there is evidence that's stacked in piles and piles.
The AG made some promises, but now she's changed her mind.
It seems that she is nervous and afraid of what we'll find.

Chorus:
Oh, Jeff Epstein! You did not die for me.
But your death they say was suicide, and that's a mystery.

We cannot trust the DOJ since it's been weaponized.
That Trump is in the Epstein files, oh, who would be surprised?
They'll release as little information as they can
And hope that all the furor will blow over. That's their plan.

Chorus:
Oh, Jeff Epstein! You did not die for me.
But your death they say was suicide, and that's a mystery.

Because of what the "Wall Street Journal" wrote, Trump's lawyers say
That he's been "damaged" and they'll sue to make the "Journal" pay.
But what about the girls whose lives were changed forever? Shame
On Epstein, Trump, and other creeps who clearly are to blame.

Chorus:
Oh, Jeff Epstein! You did not die for me.
But your death they say was suicide, and that's a mystery.

-by Bob B (7-19-25)

Trump is flexing his flabby muscle.
He keeps doing that all the time.
He wants to prove that he's in control
And show that he is tough on crime.

A triple-axe murderer
Fled Madrid. Yes, he's the one
Who went to Venezuela where he
Was sent to prison for what he'd done.

Trump had the killer released
After he'd made a prison deal.
The murderer now walks our streets!
Tell me how that makes you feel.

Kilmar Obrego García was sent
By accident to El Salvador
To languish in prison. After some months
He was returned, but Trump is sore.

So Trump's administration found
A felon set for deportation
To testify against García.
The ****'s now free. An abomination!

Ghilaine Maxwell, *** trafficker
Linked to Trump and sentenced in court
To a 20-year prison term,
Was moved to a prison more like a resort.

After Donald Trump took office,
We saw him pull out all the stops
To pardon the Capitol rioters--even
One who called for killing cops.

The guy is now a DOJ
Official. The AG hired the man.
In order to please Donald Trump,
Bondi will do whatever she can.

Although in D.C. crime is down,
Trump wants control, of course.
And so there's now a domestically
Deployed military force.

And NOW he calls on the national guard?
Before he wasn't so quick to respond
When rioters stormed the Capitol.
With them he has a special bond.

We are aware that Donald Trump
Employs distractions all the time.
Instead of releasing the Epstein files,
He wants us to think he's tough on crime.

-by Bob B (8-17-25)

(Thanks to R.M. for the inspiration)