Everything hangs by a tenuous thread.
Don't be vain or unrealistic.
Such is existence: it comes and goes.
That's being honest and NOT pessimistic.

Abandon a false sense of security.
Throw off thoughts of invincibility.
Does knowing that things are beyond your control
Dare to threaten your fragile tranquility?

Fiery summers can parch the earth;
We are vulnerable in bitter cold winters.
Although our home seems strong and solid,
A tornado can leave our "fortress" in splinters.

Rising waters inundate the land.
When that happens, we grow less smug.
As hard as we try to control nature's flooding,
We can't simply pull a bathtub plug.

Our firm foundation seems indestructible;
Efforts to make us safe are painstaking.
Nevertheless, notice how helpless
All of us are when the ground starts shaking.

Timeless time is tightly tied
Inextricably to being.
Such interconnectedness
Ought to be consoling and freeing.

What about resilience? you ask.
Life has a resilient bent
That helps us deal with challenges
And face what we can't circumvent.

You know the saying, the old cliché:
Here today; gone tomorrow.
Our attitude will determine whether
Our life is full of happiness or sorrow.

Live each moment, love others,
Learn constantly, and plan ahead.
Just remember that ultimately,
Everything hangs by a tenuous thread.

- by Bob B

They sit on their comfy couches
In their stuffy suits and ties
Or their stylish sleeveless dresses,
Expounding pernicious lies.

Promoting "purposeful ignorance"
As well as "aggressive stupidity,"
They inadvertently show
Their frightful lack of lucidity.

Facts are unimportant.
(The same for credibility?)
Expert manipulators,
They manage with great facility

To lead a gullible public
Into their intricate maze
Of wildly spurious claims
And specious reporting malaise.

Carefully selected "experts"
Throw in their two cents
While fawning interviewers
Come to their defense.

Masters of hypnosis,
They put thinkers to sleep--
The ones caught in their spell
Are led around like sheep.

And they have the audacity
To refer to themselves as "news."
That must be part of their strategy--
Their well-crafted ruse.

Control the minds of the people
And you will secure great power
To sustain them with propaganda
Hour after hour after hour….

- by Bob B

Where does your chicken come from—
The chicken you find on your plate?
It’s probably in a slaughterhouse
Where the bird meets its fate.
From clamps holding its feet,
It hangs upside down with the others—
Not the kind of ending
They'd choose if they had their druthers.
They’re dragged through a cold salty bath
To stun them and keep them from thrashing;
A cutter then slashes their throats
With its deadly, silvery blades flashing.
If that were the end, they'd be lucky;
But most of their hearts are still pumping.
For ninety more seconds they’ll hang.
Can you hear the hearts thumping?
Dead or alive they are dumped
Into pools of scalding water
Where the ones that are still alive
Will flop and scream from this slaughter.
After the torture is over
All of the bodies are slated
To be gutted, plucked, and whatever....
They’ve basically been desecrated.
 
Other methods used—
And I admit I don’t know ‘em—
To butcher our feathered friends are
Beyond the scope of this poem.
But regarding this slaughterhouse massacre,
There’s one more thing I maintain:
The conditions before this bloodbath,
Are also not very humane.
The chickens are squeezed into cages
In conditions sometimes unfit.
How would you like to stand
Up to your ankles in s--t?
What about free-range poultry?
Be careful: you might see
That despite the nice-sounding concept,
It’s not what it’s cracked up to be.
And then there’s the farmyard chicken
That the farmer’s so gleefully fed,
Which is unaware
That its master will chop off its head.
I’m not trying to scare you
Or be indiscreet,
But we must all be cognizant
Of where we are getting our meat.
 
I could inform you about
What happens to a cow,
Or lamb or pig; however,
I'll spare you that for now.

- by Bob B

The current president's rhetoric is
A cause for great alarm.
His words have the potential to cause
Other people harm.

Now a woman in Congress is
The focus of his abuse.
Once again, for his behavior
There is no excuse.

According to Trump, the congresswoman
Doesn't understand
Real life; what's more she
Deserves a reprimand

For words he took out of context.
He placed those words beside
Images of 9/11,
When nearly 3,000 died.

In such tweets, the president
Exposes his usual role
Of being a cold, hate-mongering,
Vicious Internet troll.

Real life? Ilhan Omar
Fled Somalia when
A ****** civil war tore
The country apart, and then

She spent four years in Kenya
In a detention camp, waiting
To seek refuge in the U.S.,
Her hopes never abating.

She did not have wealthy parents
To pamper her with cash
And give her millions of dollars to
Make a societal splash.

Now she's getting death threats--
Something that's not rare
When people hear a president
Who really doesn't care.

It seems as though by hurting others
Is how Trump feels fulfilled--
As though he doesn't care if his words
Cause someone to be killed.

This exploitation of anti-Muslim
Sentiments has to stop.
We expect much more from
The person at the top.

-by Bob B (4-18-19)

Trump thinks that his phones were tapped
During the campaign season.
If that had been the case, there had to
Have been a very good reason.

If intelligence agencies
Did indeed suspect
Questionable activity
Worthy of being checked,

Maybe they did tap his phones.
But James Clapper° denies it.
Another example of Trump crying "Wolf!"?
We know how often he tries it.

Or is it just one more distraction
To steer us away from how
Trump and certain Republican friends
Are ******* us over right now

By talking of vouchers; talking of limiting
Freedom of expression;
And making a mess of health care, which
Has been their constant obsession;

And letting people discriminate
Based on religious convictions--
An insult to equal rights and they
Can see no contradictions.

Trump's team and Russians have had
Frequent conversations.
Whatever the topics, we know they weren't
Mere congratulations.

Perhaps it's just Trump's paranoia
Coming to the fore.
What started out as a joke isn't
Funny anymore.

- by Bob B (3-5-17)

°Former Director of National Intelligence

It's Christmastime in Trumplandia.
The halls are decked with boughs of folly,
Ol' Frosty the Snowman is melting,
And sleigh bells are sounding melancholy.

The president has an abundance of hassles:
Ongoing investigations,
Failed attempts at accomplishments,
Embarrassments, and accusations.

He believes his supporting staff
Will help him work out all the kinks
And claims he's the favorite president!
Something is rotten in DC, methinks.

Wondering why he can't wield
More power, he disdains
Anyone who makes an attempt
To open his eyes or pull on his reins.

He'll pick a fight with anyone
Who doesn't give him flattery or praise.
Many devoted staff and supporters
Apparently share the leader's malaise.

Not trusting true experts,
He looks elsewhere for his muse:
At Alex Jones, Hannity,
Or the vicious harpy who haunts Fox News.

He says he hires the best people--
Not!--and knows what's best for the nation.
He's backing a candidate for the Senate
Who's been accused of child molestation.

His organization is raking in dough,
While Trump insists he's breaking no laws.
Why not follow the foreign money?
And what about the emoluments clause?

His favorite world leaders are
Autocrats who aren't so pleasant.
Their mutual ****-kissing will have to
Be their mutual Christmas present.

Santa Trump and his elves in Congress
Are working together in order to dole
Tax breaks out to the wealthiest, while
The rest of us will end up with coal.

Chestnuts won't be roasting on
An open fire this year. No way!
Our winter wonderland's become
A messy winter holiday.

-by Bob B (11-28-17)

Arrested insurrectionists
Are being called by some on the right
"Political prisoners." It seems
That reason and sense have taken flight.

People who are out to hurt
Others and who are inciting fear
Are being called "patriots"!
My goodness! What is happening here?

Elected officials across the country
Are being threatened by the "mob"
For doing what is required of them--
For merely carrying out their job.

Health officials are also threatened
For doing what is expected of them--
For saving lives. How could that
Be something that people would condemn?

From many far-right extremists we're seeing
Violence being normalized,
The effect of which is rapidly causing
The country to be more polarized.

Odious thugs are recruiting thugs.
Election results are constantly being
Questioned for NO legitimate reasons!
It's hard to believe what we are seeing.

And organizers are padding their pockets
While they peddle misinformation.
Threatening our democracy,
They chip away at its very foundation.

What is happening resembles
That which happens when autocrats flower--
When violent thugs pave the way
For fascist leaders to rise to power.

-by Bob B (9-18-21)

Donald Trump boasts about
A landslide victory in the recent election.
Trump and reality seem to be
Experiencing a disconnection.

Roughly 80,000 votes
Out of millions and millions cast
Determined the winner in the race,
And yet Trump keeps holding fast

To strange and absurd delusions of grandeur
And to a fancy on which he dotes
Regarding his "triumph" over Clinton
And the total number of winning votes.

Even though she received MORE
Than two point five million votes than he,
Eighty thousand in THREE swing states
Won him the presidency.

Eighty thousand. I repeat:
Eighty thousand. That's the size
Of a small Californian town.
That's all it took to win the prize.

As usual, Trump loves to ride
The glory train of Bombast and Bluster,
Refusing to acknowledge that
His victory is really lackluster.

- by Bob B (12-13-16)

(This poem can be sung to the tune of "Little Brown Jug.")

"Me and Kim Jong Un are friends;
Me and him, we made amends.
He rules with an iron fist--
Something that I can't resist.

(Chorus)
"Ha, ha, ha! Can’t you see?
We are making history.
Ha, ha, ha! Look at me!
I just crossed the DMZ!

"North Koreans live in fear.
Many often disappear.
Kim knows how to make 'em cower.
That is how he keeps his power.

(Chorus)

"Let's watch him as he revamps
His political prison camps.
Torture's carried out inside;
He says torture's justified.

(Chorus)

"Ultimate power goes to Kim.
He decides your fate at whim.
Sure, a few unlucky ones
Were killed by anti-aircraft guns.

(Chorus)

"When discussions reconvene,
Watch his propaganda machine.
Speaking up is not worthwhile.
Good chance you won't get a trial.

(Chorus)

"People here are thin, which means
They must eat a lot of greens.
Kim Jong Un is--I must state--
The only one who's overweight.

(Chorus)

"So he might have used starvation
To teach a lesson to his nation.
As long as they all give him praise,
They will live to see more days.

(Chorus)

"This is what he's demonstrated:
Human rights are overrated.
Still, I love to fantasize
That I'll get the Nobel Prize.

"Ha, ha, ha! Can’t you see?
We are making history.
Ha, ha, ha! Look at me!
I just crossed the DMZ!"

-by Bob B (7-1-19)

Dear illustrious Republicans in Congress,
You can run, but don't think you can hide,
As more Americans come to understand
How you've taken the people for a ride.

A tax reform bill you call it. Please!
Doesn't it more resemble a tax deformity?
Or better yet a vicious and outrageous
And monstrous act known as an enormity?

Something wasn't on the up-and-up.
Your great desire for secrecy underscores
The fact that you were hiding something big
When you wrote the bill behind closed doors.

Your suspicious need to rush it through
Made us wonder why you'd vote to embed it
In our system of laws when there were many
Members of Congress who hadn't even read it.

Hasn't the thought ever occurred to you
That one doesn't have to be a ****
To see your great desire to pass a bill
Before people could see how bad it is?

You'll make your donors happy; that is true.
Their money hasn't lost its strong appeal.
Now you have to convince the people you've *******
How they are all getting a wonderful deal.

What a bold redistribution of wealth
To rich Americans, who will benefit most!
You pulled off an outrageous scam,
And then you raised your glass and made a toast.

That millions lose their health care doesn't faze you.
The deficit? Oh, that's an easy fix.
You'll just target Americans' earned benefits.
(That's how Paul Ryan gets his kicks.)

Go ahead: throw us under the bus.
Expect, however, that people will verbally smite you.
Prepare for consequences of your actions:
Your callous decision will soon come back to bite you.

-by Bob B (12-20-17)

Another claim, and it's a doozy.
This one's crossing new frontiers
Of paranoia and total insanity.
You'll hardly believe your very own ears.

Kellyanne CONjob is now saying
In all seriousness that they've
Determined that Donald Trump could have
Been spied on via a microwave!

There's no need for evidence
In our conspiracy theory society.
Just make up anything
And it can be the cause of anxiety.

Put the finest dress on a fib;
However, no matter how hard you try
To decorate and embellish it,
Your lie simply remains a lie.

Trump had better check his Sharpie.
Who knows? It might be bugged.
And just to be safe, his coffee maker
And blow-dryer should stay unplugged.

- by Bob B (3-13-17)

Credible scientists
Agree, and it is quite concerning.
We are seeing destructive effects
Of global warming: Earth is burning.

Brazilian agri-business has been
Carelessly throwing fuel on the fire,
Destroying the "lungs" of our planet and making
The situation even more dire.

The Amazon's on fire right now.
Fires are taking a heavy toll
In places all around the world.
The conflagration is out of control.

As heat-trapping gasses are
Released into the atmosphere,
Glaciers melt and oceans grow warmer,
Making hurricanes more severe.

Between climate change deniers
And a warming earth, we're in the middle,
And as Earth burns our president
Watches while he plays his fiddle.

Now he wants to roll back restrictions,
Erasing rules on methane emissions.
Methane as a heat-trapping gas
Will only worsen climate conditions.

With all his environmental rollbacks,
There is NO silver lining.
He wants to open Alaskan national
Forests to logging, drilling, and mining.

If there is a method to damage our
Environment, he will employ it.
Rather than fight to protect our earth,
The president would rather destroy it!

With all the damage Trump is doing,
If anyone says on his behalf
That he's an environmentalist,
All we can say is, "That's a laugh!"

-by Bob B (8-30-19)

They marched together; they marched strong,
With flags, signs, and banners waving.
They marched in sun, snow, and rain
To speak out for rights and causes worth saving.

The Women's March on Washington
Became a world phenomenon
Occurring in seven continents.
May the powerful memory live on!

Women, men, and children with
Determination undeterred
Peacefully rallied together,
Letting their mighty voices be heard.

Echoing through the cities' canyons
And filling city parks and squares,
Their voices loudly demanded that leaders
Listen to democracy's heirs.

When people's rights are under attack,
When greed-driven politicians
Bow to Wall Street and corporations,
Ignoring the struggling people's petitions,

The people then must raise their voices
And hope that their peaceful protest starts
A major shift in understanding--
A positive change in lawmakers' hearts.

The protesters clearly spoke:
We must protect democracy
From the threatening ravages
Of plutoc-, corpoc-, or kakistocracy.

Onward, marchers. Don't give up.
You have a voice; let it ring
From east to west, from north to south.
Sing out, people! Sing! Sing!

- by Bob B (1-22-17)

He came home from the Middle East
A depressed and very different man,
After having served a tour
In Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

At one time an athlete with a hopeful future
And mentor to his cheering peers,
He struggled now to balance his memories
With the dismal, heavy weight of tears.

Tears that suddenly came from nowhere
Drenched his pillow. A panic would sweep
Through his body making him dread
The nights and the thought of falling asleep.

The outbursts of anger frightened him more;
They frightened his wife and children as well.
Avoidance and withdrawal only seemed
To aggravate his daily hell.

People and places constantly triggered
Painful memories of war and death.
Loud noises would send him through
The roof and make him gasp for breath.

Walking down a city street,
He'd have a flashback and quickly duck.
His heart would race until he gained
Control of his fears that had run amok.

The doctors diagnosed his condition:
Battle fatigue, or PTSD.
They had a list of remedies.
Of course, there was no guarantee.

Serotonin reuptake
Inhibitors failed to do the trick.
And tricyclic antidepressants
Made him feel listless and sick.

Tranquilizers and neuroleptics
Caused him to be more confused.
Prazosin and propranolol
Prescriptions both remained unused.

When the pills failed to help him,
Alcohol became his friend.
At least temporarily;
The haunting nightmares wouldn't end.

His family suffered along with him.
His friends slowly drifted away.
Who had time to spend with someone
Whose life was in such disarray?

His plaques and medals on his walls
Made his pain more acute.
His isolation made him feel
Emotionally destitute.

Cognitive behavior therapy!
That's what a doctor recommended.
The desperate man acquiesced.
He said he'd go, but just pretended.

He dropped the kids off at the sitter's,
Drove back home, texted his wife,
Held his pistol to his head,
Squeezed the trigger, and ended his life.

If you practice unscrupulousness,
You will have it made--
As long as you can persevere
In keeping up the charade.

It's very helpful for cutting deals
To give yourself protection;
You'll also find that it comes in handy
For winning an election.

In order to throw the public off guard,
Employ tactics accusing
Others of opting for similar methods
That you yourself are using.

Some call it unscrupulousness;
Some say unscrupulosity.
Whatever the case, the practice requires
A sinister virtuosity.

Many politicians have
Embraced the concept with fervor
And have bamboozled many a slow,
Imperceptive observer.

Who needs to be honorable
When striving to succeed?
The end justifies the means
To those driven by greed

Or an unquenchable thirst for power.
All they have to do
Is bow to the god of unscrupulousness
And watch their wishes come true.

- by Bob B (12-16-16)

Miss Muffins is a corpulent cat--
A trait she hasn't really bemoaned.
However, she likes to see herself
Not as obese, but rather…big *****.

Big ***** she isn't. Let's be frank.
But BIG she is: twenty-five pounds!
Once she discovered la bonne vie,
She put on weight in leaps and bounds.

The first time guests encounter Miss Muffins,
Their comments might sound picayune,
For they remark in disbelief,
"I didn't know you had a raccoon!"

Miss Muffins, who is highly offended,
Would love to dash from the room in disdain,
But since her poundage limits her movement,
Such an attempt would be in vain.

As long as she can lie by the window
And warm herself with the rays of the sun,
She doesn't have a care in the world
And wonders what could be more fun.

It's been a few years since Miss Muffins
Could jump up onto the bed or couch.
Her last attempt: a complete disaster.
She hit the floor with a thud and an "Ouch!"

Now she merely sits by the sofa
And looks up at her masters and cries,
As if to say, "Help me, please;
You could use the exercise."

There she curls up into a ball
And dreams of manifold savory things--
Things like tuna, goat cheese, sardines,
Chicken gizzards, and turkey wings.

If a mouse enters the room,
She says, "Ah, Mousie, I'm not in the mood.
Go ahead and eat what you like;
Just stay far away from all of my food!"

The only time Miss Muffins will run--
Well, sort of--happens each day when
She hears her masters call "Kitty, Kitty."
She knows its dinnertime again.

After her meal, Miss Muffins finds
A comfy place in the house to rest.
According to her theory, that
Is how one lets her food digest.

When little children come to visit,
Poor Miss Muffins lets out a moan.
"Why," she asks, "do they have to tickle
And **** me? Make them leave me alone!"

The best way to win her affection
Is simply to give her something to eat.
You will become best friends forever
By offering her a tasty treat.

If, however, you give her a taste
Of something she hates, she'll be quite candid.
You will know that you have erred,
For you'll be severely reprimanded.

Every so often, Miss Muffins hears
Something that fills her with great disquiet:
When she's at her doctor's office,
A four-letter word is mentioned: diet.

"Ah, it's time to change the subject,"
Thinks Miss Muffins. "Lovely weather."
To counter unwanted suggestions, she knows
We all have to band together.

“Okay,” Miss Muffins now concedes,
"I admit I’m a weight-challenged cat."
She can accept that label, but
Whatever you do, don't call her fat.

-by Bob B (2-18-20)

Watch out! They say they represent
Your likes, your wants, your needs.
Their spurious reasoning sounds convincing;
So what if it misleads.

They claim they're looking out for you--
Protecting your freedom to choose.
Yet they're investing elsewhere, thus,
Protecting your freedom to lose.

Their highfalutin promises
Of justice, pride, and respect
Are cheap façades that cover up
Exploitative neglect.

They boast their record, sing their own praises--
Right before your eyes.
They hope you don't discover that
It's all a pack of lies.

They'll trick you into seeing others
With fearful suspicion and loathing.
Watch out! Beware! Be on your guard
For sly wolves in sheep's clothing.

- by Bob B

The day starts out like any day--
A Saturday morning just like most others.
The diner is buzzing with customers:
Grandparents, kids, fathers, mothers.

Breakfast specials, waitresses dashing
To and fro--no time for slacking.
Each waitress proudly displays her handgun.
(This is a state where everyone's packing.)

Somebody hears a man complain
To the waitress, saying his eggs aren't done.
He doesn't like how she responds,
So he kills her with one shot from his gun.

Suddenly all hell breaks loose.
Bullets go flying; people are screaming.
Covered with blood, a survivor says later,
"It happened so fast, I thought I was dreaming."

Shrieking at seeing the waitress fall,
A young mother aims at the shooter,
Missing him and instead sending
A bullet into the town's prosecutor,

Whose wife shoots at the impulsive mother,
Hitting the woman smack in the head.
Meanwhile, the husband points his gun
At his wife's killer, shooting her dead.

Customers everywhere dive for cover,
Aiming their guns in the air and firing.
Popping noises drown out the screams
And moans of people hit and expiring.

Running out of the kitchen a cook
Shoots his gun in all directions,
Missing his targets and yet hitting someone
And displaying his shooting imperfections.

Someone else has better aim--
Or a random bullet plays its part--
For Henry, the cook, falls to the floor
When a bullet pierces his heart.

The busboy--having been grazed in the face--
Shoots into the chaotic river
Of mayhem and bullets. He is killed
When he is shot through the stomach and liver.

Pockmarked with holes, the once-cheerful joint
Is now streaked and splattered with blood.
Survivors will never forget hearing
Each bang and scream, followed by a thud.

Everybody gets caught in the crossfire.
The rounds spare neither adult nor child.
(Fifteen people lose their lives
By the time all the reports are compiled.)

When the police arrive at the diner,
In horror they observe the slaughter.
The sheriff suddenly screams out in agony
When he notices his blood-covered daughter.

On the wall, a TV is playing.
Somehow it has managed to survive.
On the news an NRA
Spokesman is being interviewed live,

Saying that America needs more guns
And that gun regulation is obscene.
Aiming his gun at the TV, the sheriff
Pulls the trigger and blows out the screen

- by Bob B

Freedom of speech is a wonderful right--
A right that all Americans cherish.
It's a right that not all countries enjoy,
And one that we wouldn't want to see perish.
 
People have the right to express
Their opinion in public; yes, that is true.
One thing about it is when they speak out,
Their venomous ignorance often comes through.
 
Isn't there a saying about
Thinking before expressing a thought?
Many people ignore that advice;
What's more, those people ignore it a lot.
 
Publicly expressing rancor and bigotry
Might sound appropriate to those who feel
That they have the right to deny other people
Their rights, which they do with great zeal.
 
Extremist ideas and irrational thinking
Are surely part of the human condition.
People whose speech condemns other people
Are on a destructive, hateful mission.
 
A malicious message spoken in public--
A far-out attack or outlandish expression--
Allows us to see the foolishness in
The speaker's illogic and lack of discretion.
 
An astutely aware and compassionate public
Will let malice fall on deaf ears.
And those who employ such invective,
Instead of our anger, deserve our tears.
 
When we hear people spewing inanities
Powered by ignorance and hatred, we should
Consider the source and counter the poison
So it doesn't taint all that is good.

- by Bob B

Six-year-old Stephen Romero,
An energetic, vibrant boy,
Was full of curiosity,
Gregariousness, life, and joy.

On Sunday morning, young Stephen
And mom were both unaware
Of what was going to happen to them
During their Sunday trip to the fair.

Keyla Salazar was called
"La luchadora"° by her dad.
The thirteen-year-old's smile was one
Of the greatest treasures her father had.

On Sunday morning, Keyla, too,
Was totally unaware
Of what she was going to encounter
During her fateful trip to the fair.

Trevor Irby, twenty-five,
Was getting ready to propose
To someone very special to him.
At least so the story goes.

On Sunday, Trevor, along with a friend,
Decided to spend a day at the fair.
Surely, they had no idea
What they were going to encounter there.

Nineteen-year-old Santino Legan,
For reasons hard to understand,
Went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival
On Sunday with his gun in hand.

There he took the lives of Stephen,
Keyla, and Trevor. More blood was shed:
Thirteen other people were injured
Before the police shot him dead.

Weep, America; weep for our youth,
Killed by messengers of hate
Because we cannot draw the line
At how much we can tolerate.

Weep, America; weep again
That access to weapons goes unchecked.
Weep for murdered ones whose lives
Our lawmakers are supposed to protect.

Weep for all of us, for we
Cannot feel safe anywhere:
At school, at work, at stores, at concerts,
At places of worship, or at a fair.

-by Bob B (8-1-19)

°the fighter

They marched together; they marched strong,
With flags, signs, and banners waving.
They marched in sun, snow, and rain
To speak out for rights and causes worth saving.

The Women's March on Washington
Became a world phenomenon
Occurring on seven continents.
May the powerful memory live on!

Women, men, and children with
Determination undeterred
Peacefully rallied together,
Letting their mighty voices be heard.

Echoing through the cities' canyons
And filling city parks and squares,
Their voices loudly demanded that leaders
Listen to democracy's heirs.

When people's rights are under attack,
When greed-driven politicians
Bow to Wall Street and corporations,
Ignoring the struggling people's petitions,

The people then must raise their voices
And hope that their peaceful protest starts
A major shift in understanding--
A positive change in lawmakers' hearts.

The protesters clearly spoke:
We must protect democracy
From the threatening ravages
Of plutoc-, corpoc-, or kakistocracy.

They'll march again in 2018.
They'll march to show that it has never
Been more urgent, for now there are
More reasons to march than ever.

Onward, marchers. Don't give up.
You have a voice; let it ring
From east to west, from north to south.
Sing out, people! Sing! Sing!

(1-22-17, 1-13-18) By Bob B

*This is an update and reposting of my Jan 2017 poem

Some people can be their own worst enemy.
Frequently, they tend to call attention
To their gross incompetence and act
Amazed when they're surrounded by dissension.
Perhaps it's just that they're oblivious
To their surroundings, or they do not care
About matters not involving them.
They're caught up in their self-love affair.
Their stratagem relies on subterfuge.
To achieve their desires, they deceive.
Their focus is NOT on what to give,
But rather on how much they'll receive.
One wonders if they'll ever pay the price
Of brushing off intelligent advice.

Being their own worst enemy, such people
Love to play the victim or the martyr.
Would it even faze them if friends said,
"You know, we really thought that you were smarter"?
How they love to catapult themselves
Into a situation and then claim
That everybody's out to get them! Then,
"Poor me!" they cry as they pass the blame.
The words "empathy" and "understanding"
Aren't a part of their vocabulary.
If you don't agree with what they say,
Then you become their hateful adversary.
What would it take to make it clear
That they themselves are what they ought to fear?

-by Bob B (8-22-17)

On a night three years ago this week
Forty-nine people died
In a mass shooting that once again
Left the country horrified.

The Pulse nightclub, Orlando, Florida,
A place of nighttime revelry,
Became the target where a hater
Carried out his shooting spree.

Maybe among the victims' names
Are none that you can now recall.
Nevertheless, the incident
Is one that affects us all.

It's sad when conditions are such
That mass shootings become the norm.
It's equally sad when lawmakers
Shy away from gun-law reform.

And sad, too, it is when hate-filled
Bigots boldly advocate
That the deaths of forty-nine clubbers
Should be a cause to celebrate!

Shame on them who take religion
And shape it into deadly words
That they sling at innocent victims
While stirring up hatred among their herds.

The path to truth is a winding path;
It's easy to stumble, easy to stray.
Some start out with good intentions
But then get lost along the way.

So many anniversaries
Of mass shootings to recognize!
Will the light break through the clouds
Of ignorance? We can only surmise.

-by Bob B (6-14-19)

Remembering the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting:

Stanley Almodovar III, 23
Amanda Alvear, 25
Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
Martin Benitez Torres, 33
Antonio D. Brown, 30
Darryl R. Burt II, 29
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
Luis D. Conde, 39
Cory J. Connell, 21
Tevin E. Crosby, 25
Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50
Deonka D. Drayton, 32
Mercedez M. Flores, 26
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
Juan R. Guerrero, 22
Paul T. Henry, 41
Frank Hernandez, 27
Miguel A. Honorato, 30
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
Jason B. Josaphat, 19
Eddie J. Justice, 30
Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25
Christopher A. Leinonen, 32
Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49
Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35
Akyra Monet Murray, 18
Kimberly Morris, 37
Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27
Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24
Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
Shane E. Tomlinson, 33
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
Luis S. Vielma, 22
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
Jerald A. Wright, 31

What does Russia have on Trump?
A little? A lot? Nothing? Who knows?
Nevertheless, there are more questions
Than we can count on our fingers and toes.

Trump seems to have greater regard
For Putin--which is really bizarre--
Than he does for people here,
Which goes to show how crazy things are.

He thinks that he can allay
Our fears by sending out tweet after tweet.
Instead of making the man look stronger,
His messages make him look more effete.

We'll probably never know all the answers.
We'll never know the whys and wherefores,
The truth to faulty explanations
Behind the empty becauses and therefores.

We do know that something is fishy.
Trump's overreactions as such
Are revealing, to say the least.
Methinks he doth protest too much.

- by Bob B (1-14-16)

During Trump's campaign we saw
How very low the man could stoop
When it came to insulting any
Individual person or group.

The Gold Star family Khan, for example,
Received a heap of Trumpian abuse
As Trump blasted the family with
Insults, childish but profuse.

But even when Trump makes an attempt
To say the right thing, he still bumbles.
His team can pass him the ball, but then
The clueless president still fumbles.

He can have General Kelly
Speak in his defense, but then
On the next opportunity,
He'll stick his foot in his mouth again.

From someone in Trump's position we
Expect much more finesse, but alas!
In the meantime all we can do
Is say to ourselves, "This, too, will pass."

(10-20-17) By Bob B

Try to observe anger.
See how it arises.
Look at its components
And see what it comprises.
 
Does it contain the ego's
Selfishness and insecurity?
If so, a knee-**** response
Reflects our immaturity.
 
Watch it from different angles.
Observe its essential lack
Of substance or palpability;
Anger’s a tough nut to crack.
 
Look at it in the face.
Grasp it before it grasps you.
And yet, there’s nothing to grasp
When its true nature comes through.
 
It’s natural to witness anger
In varying amounts.
The key is what we do then:
The way we respond is what counts.
 
If anger’s converted to wisdom,
Then let that wisdom guide us
To act in compassionate ways—
To unite us and not divide us.

- by Bob B

Environmental Protection Agency,
It's sad to see your cruel fate,
Brought about by someone who
Wants to make this country "great."

Since Donald Trump has been in office,
You are being obliterated
By the very industries
That you should have regulated.

Environmental regulations
Have been rolled back to such a degree
That consequences will be titanic,
And that is not hyperbole.

Lifting regulations to keep
Coal waste out of waterways
Is an unconscionable act,
Deserving of censure instead of praise.

Concerned voices of climate change
Researchers have been muted,
Even though among the majority
The phenomenon is undisputed.

Direct results from climate change
Are costing billions of dollars already
And add to making living conditions
On Earth all the more unsteady.

Your old title, EPA,
Has been replaced. Let us proclaim:
Environmental DESTRUCTION Agency
Is now a more appropriate name.

-by Bob B (11-9-17)

You did it again, Senatorial
Democrats. How naïve!
You keep falling for the tricks
McConnell has up his sleeve.

Long ago a funding bill
Could easily have been sent--
One with bipartisan support--
To the president.

Republican leaders chose, however,
To play a game, and that's
How they let a shutdown occur
And then blame Democrats.

True, the president's wishy-washy
Feelings aren't always clear.
It doesn't help when bigoted voices
Are whispering in his ear--

Voices of Kelly, Steve Miller,
Iowan Steve King,
And Tom Cotton from Arkansas,
All with a racist sting.

And so for now the fate of the Dreamers
Is a question mark.
You think McConnell won't continue
To leave them in the dark?

McConnell waits--like Lucy with her football--
For you to run up and kick it.
Will you fall for the trick again,
Or tell him where to stick it?

-by Bob B (1-23-18)

The first presidential contest
In fifty years--to be exact--
Without full protection of
The badly needed Voting Rights Act

Occurred this year--in 2016.
Fourteen states--we must note--
Had implemented voting restrictions
Making it harder for some to vote.

Trump complained of a rigged election,
Which the media devoured in haste;
But little time was spent showing
The REAL threat that voters faced.

Voting restrictions are plaguing the nation--
Just ONE example of far-right aggression.
The fight for rights continues as we
Fight against voter suppression.

- by Bob B (12-9-16)

Where, pray tell, are we now?
How far have we progressed?
Have we covered our ears so we can't
Hear the cries of the dispossessed?

Have pages been ripped out of history books
So that the people cannot see
The struggles that many undertook
To help to set all people free?

A nation "indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all"
Can benefit at times from a self-
Evaluative overhaul,

Or maybe from a look in the mirror
To see whether the image displayed
Truly represents the picture
Of freedom meant to be conveyed.

Through irreconcilable differences,
Have we now become divorced
From hopeful ideals that early on
The shapers of our nation endorsed?

Are we sincerely looking within
Our hearts to make a "more perfect" nation,
Or are we more consumed with drawing
Attention to the standing ovation?

Are we shutting the door to the soul
Of America and walling out
The power and strength that forms the basis
Of what this country is all about?

Let us not be blindsided
By rogue forces that hope to succeed
In weakening what makes us strong,
Only to relish watching us bleed.

-by Bob B (6-16-18)

Just because something's a tradition
Doesn't mean it's appropriate today.
As times change, so do traditions.
It's good that some are now passé.

Duels--for example--to "defend one's honor"
Were commonly practiced in the olden days.
In modern times people get
"Satisfaction" in other ways.

At one time eunuchs were numerous in China,
And many were employed in the Imperial Service.
Would you do that for a government job?
Yikes, the thought of it makes me nervous.

Castrati, too, were praised in the past
For childlike voices that were second to none.
But those whose voices deteriorated
Sadly lost out in more ways than one.

Years ago a widow in India
Threw herself on the funeral pyre
Of her dead husband. That practice is one
That people--thank goodness--no longer require.

What about animal sacrifice?
Let's hope it remains a thing of the past.
People should try a less harmful substitute:
Cut out chocolate; go on a fast.

Some wedding traditions are simple and harmless;
Brides wear something borrowed or blue.
Customs that don't deny us our rights
Or cause harm to others are ones to pursue.

The list of traditions could go on forever;
People feel they're a way to maintain
Our culture. But clearly certain customs
Are now outmoded or inhumane.

As long as we move with the times, we grow.
We learn from the past, but move ahead.
Moldy traditions that don't embrace
Love and compassion are better off dead.

- by Bob B

Come on, guys. Use your noggins.
Don't think you could never be at fault
For inappropriate ****** behavior,
Such as committing ****** assault.

Don't let your status go to your head.
Not everyone is on the same quest with you.
Don't let your power make you think
That everybody else is obsessed with you.

For one thing, keep your clothes on until
You are 100 percent aware
That the other person you are with
Is interested in seeing you bare.

And never at the workplace, of course,
Or in the office or at work functions.
And never if either one is married!
How could you do it and not have compunctions?

Do not let delusions of grandeur
Make others have to look askance.
What it boils down to is this:
Keep your peter inside your pants!

Now if you are absolutely sure
That someone else wants to see it--
At the appropriate place, of course--
Only then can you unzip and free it.

Don't give coworkers creepy *** toys.
That sounds super gross and perverse.
But then telling them how to use them?
No, no, that's even worse!

Suggestive language, forced kisses,
Grabbing them by the private parts…
That's where respectful behavior stops
And inappropriate behavior starts.

Do not make unwanted advances
And fire someone who doesn't respond.
Don't think you're an accomplished magician
Who makes things happen by waving his wand.

Stop this ****** assault and harassment;
Develop respect for others and stay with it.
Lascivious conduct is tasteless and wrong.
(Only the president can get away with it.)

-by Bob B (12-1-17)

In rural Georgia lived a loving
Man known as Robert Eads.
People with a heart as big as his
Are more of what this world needs.

Life has in store for us
A future we can never foretell.
As loving and kind as a person is,
That doesn't mean that all will go well.

In 1996, Robert
Found out he had ovarian cancer.
Ovarian? How could that be? you ask.
He was transgender--a simple answer.

Experiencing abdominal pain,
Robert knew he needed assistance.
But because of his gender identity,
The sick man met with careless resistance.

As Robert grew sicker and sought treatment,
More than a dozen doctors would meet him.
But fearing he'd make their practice look bad,
Those same doctors refused to treat him!

Shirking their responsibility,
Those doctors sealed Robert's fate.
By the time he found one who would help him,
The cancer had spread; it was too late.

A year of aggressive medical treatment,
Gave him time with those he'd befriended,
And time with family, until the day
In '99, when his life ended.

Robert had never understood
How people could be so cruel, and yet
He bore no hatred and took each day
As it came without blame or regret.

How he had loved his girlfriend, Lola--
A transgender woman and love of his life!
If he were still alive today,
I'm sure that they'd be husband and wife.

In Robert's memory, a pine tree was planted.
His ashes were scattered at the base of the tree.
How often in life people must struggle
To be the person that they must be!

- by Bob B

Sometimes we've known that something was going to be scary.
We could picture the outcome with growing ennui.
But once that something happened, it was more frightening
Than we had ever imagined it would be.

Sometimes we've known a storm would cause destruction.
At least that's what the forecasters could foresee.
The storm, however, turned out to be more disastrous
Than we had ever imagined it would be.

Sometimes we've known a disease was going to be deadly.
Hopes of survival brought no guarantee.
Struggling to survive was so much harder
Than we had ever imagined it would be.

Sometimes we've known a person was unstable,
But we couldn't perceive to what degree.
Later we learned that person was more deranged
Than we'd imagined him or her to be.

Sometimes we've known that fighting for our rights
And fighting to preserve democracy
Was going to be a battle more important
Than we had ever imagined it would be.

- by Bob B (2-20-17)

My father's life ended twice:
First, on the day my mom passed away;
Next, when he took his last breath of air
Three months later to the day.

The year was 1998.
How long ago it seems! And yet
So many vivid memories
Make it a year I'll never forget.

Tangled up in straps and tubes
In ICU, my dad spent
His final month lying supine
While monitors beeped and tracked his descent.

Pneumonia for an emphysemic
Is not a kind and welcome friend.
A ventilator served as lungs
And breathed for Dad until the end.

A man who'd always loved ideas
And words, the poor guy had no choice:
Unable to speak because of equipment,
A pad of paper became his voice.

"You've got a strong heart," I said,
Trying to make his spirits rise.
"Too strong," he wrote. I looked away
So he wouldn't see the tears in my eyes.

While standing there, all I could see
Was a man who'd devoted many years
To serving others, challenging our brains,
Making us laugh, assuaging our fears.

I heard him reading us bedtime stories,
Correcting our grammar, playing word games,
Arguing politics with his friends,
Discussing Dickens, Hardy, and James.

I saw a man alone in a car,
Within the glow of a theater marquee,
Patiently waiting late at night
To pick up my friends and me.

I saw him working multiple jobs,
Fixing the plumbing, knocking down walls,
Remodeling the bathroom, and on the courts
Smacking the hell out of tennis *****.

Now in his deep blue eyes I could see
A question impossible to dismiss:
"Why after a life so full
Do we THEN have to end up like this?"

Any inkling of an answer
Was stifled with a grimace and frown
As death was tugging at his sleeve
And his body was slowly shutting down.

Life has bitter ironies
That we often bemoan or bewail.
We want to explain the inexplicable.
Our efforts are to no avail.

- by Bob B

Hateful campaigns polarize
The public; salacious scandals abound;
Demagogues stir up the voters;
Vicious rumors are passed around;

Threats are made if one's opponent
Wins the race; fake news spreads;
Internal strife within the parties
Has the members at loggerheads;

Security leaks flow from the top;
Vitriolic accusations
Denigrate opponents; we hear
Of more and more allegations;

Threats are levied at the free press;
The masses suspect the educated;
Verbal assaults on the judiciary
Are brazen and unsubstantiated;

Fears of election fraud are raised;
Hypocrisy knows no end;
Little attention is paid to the truth
As people don't care whom they offend;

Candidates "pump the popular passions";
Hush money's paid; stories don't jibe
As lawmakers find themselves
Susceptible to paying a bribe.

It sounds like politics and elections
In America from what we've seen
Happening in the past few years
Leading up to twenty eighteen.

But this was also America
In the year 1800.  Since such
Chaos occurred back then as well,
It shows we haven't changed that much.

-by Bob B (3-30-18)

What is this thing that we have about a wall?
For centuries humans have had occasion
To build structures in hopes to forestall
Any threat of attack or invasion.
 
The Great Wall of China is very well known,
Requiring effort to be built through the ages.
A structure of such immensity requires
That it be designed and completed in stages.
 
Thick walls of castles and fortresses abound
To protect against plunder and pillage.
Protective walls also surround
Many a quaint Medieval village.
 
As you traverse America you’ll see
Walls and fences throughout the land.
DO NOT ENTER signs naturally will be—
Along with NO TRESPASSING—in great demand.
 
Around many homes is a wall or a fence—
Usually, that is, around the back yards.
Some people go to greater expense
And live in a gated community with guards.
 
Sometimes I wonder if they’re worth the labor—
All of these fences built at great cost.
But some say a good fence makes a good neighbor,
Referring to the line in a poem by Frost.
 
There are reasons for walls, no doubt.
In East Germany and East Berlin,
Instead of trying to keep people out,
Walls were constructed to keep people in.
 
Walls around prisons also deter
The inmates from fleeing before they’re released.
When seeing school walls, we can infer
How much school violence has increased.
 
The wall that Israel has built—we can see—
Winds in and out of the West Bank location.
It’s there for defense, we are told, although we
Can also see that it’s for separation.
 
Some want a wall on our southern border.
That will solve our problems, they say.
Frankly, that would be a tall order
Who has the money to fritter away?
 
Some walls are the intangible kinds—
The ones around us that are invisible
And prevent us from truly opening our minds.
To deny their existence would be risible.

I wonder: will it ever end--
This building of barriers to keep us apart?
It seems as though we're trying to extend
The wall surrounding the human heart.

- by Bob B

The things I should have said in the past,
I didn't know how to say.
The things I want to say right now,
Constantly eat away
At inculcated inhibitions, which
Stifle apt expression
Out of the fear of uttering
A possible indiscretion.
 
The things I couldn't see in the past
I "see" much better now,
Such as the deep and powerful connections
Of the where and why and how.
Although there is a current diminishing
Of youthful visual acuity,
One doesn't need perfect vision
To penetrate ambiguity.
 
The things my ears could hear in the past
No longer sound the same.
Listening with the ears of experience
Completely changes the game.
To see with the ears and to hear with the eyes--
What a challenging perspective!--
Instead of being stuck in a pattern
That's sadly ineffective.
 
The things I knew so well in the past
I know right now even better.
Strict adherence to worn-out ideas
Proves to be a fetter.
If knowing is truly becoming, that means
The immeasurable range of our knowing
Is tied to our experiences and is
A direct result of growing.
 
George Bernard Shaw said youth
Is wasted on the young.
But maybe it's better for us to consider
Our youth as merely a rung
On the amazing ladder of life that we
Haven't ascended for naught.
We're lucky we've made it as far as we have;
The alternative's an unpleasant thought.
 
Knowing what I know and seeing what I see,
I'm forced to speak my mind,
Lest my silence be misconstrued
As agreement, which I find
Would contradict what I have learned
And what experience reveals.
Moreover, I can't justify
Abandoning my ideals.

- by Bob B

Sometimes Mother Nature *****!
But we can’t live without Her.
It behooves us to pay attention to
Her whims and learn about Her.
 
If it weren’t for Mother Nature
We would NOT be here.
Because of HER we can survive
In Earth’s atmosphere.
 
The indispensable light from Her sun
Helps vegetation grow
By allowing for photosynthesis
Here on Earth below.
 
Thermal energy from the sun
Causes evaporation,
Which in turn supports life on Earth
Through welcomed precipitation.
 
The soothing sun caressing the earth,
The gentle breezes and rains,
The towering peaks, the rolling hills,
The lakes, the rivers, the plains...
 
How beautiful Mother Nature can be!
But, oh, She has a dark side—
A sometimes wild and violent demeanor,
A harsh and extremely stark side.
 
Parched by fiery rays of the sun,
The earth suffers damage and drought;
Lakes and rivers and streams dry up,
And destructive fires break out.
 
Gentle breezes become tornadoes
And hurricanes in violent forms.
And lovely rains turn into torrents
And cataclysmic storms
 
That flood our cities and towns and fields,
Causing death and disease;
Then freezing temperatures sometimes follow—
Nature’s angry reprise.
 
Sometimes the ground upon which we live
Suddenly rolls and shakes,
Or spits out fire and volcanic ash
And creates hot lava lakes.
 
So often we have some wonderful moments
When nature can delight us;
But don’t forget there are snakes and mosquitoes
And other creatures that bite us.
 
Doubtless, Mother Nature deserves
Both our awe and respect.
Of course She’s fickle, but still She doesn’t
Deserve our abuse or neglect.
 
Her whimsical ways confuse and confound us,
But we have to cut her some slack.
Mess with Her and—oh, my goodness!—
With a vengeance She’ll strike back!

- by Bob B

It's amazing how many people are not
Appalled by Trump's alternate reality,
Which is fed by political gibberish
That gives it a vitriolic vitality.

The man sees the world not as it is,
But only in how he can mold and shape it.
His main relationship with the earth
Is finding ways to plunder and **** it.

Scorning science and fact-based query,
He is more content to remain
In a protective shell of ignorance.
That's impossible to explain.

Alternative facts permeate
His psyche, leaving him out of touch
With truths that help the world progress.
To him such truths are only a crutch.

He's conned the people into believing
That corporations would never deceive them.
When he and his team make up stories,
Astonishingly, people believe them!

Political correctness to him
Is an obstacle in his path,
And anyone who points that out
Becomes the target of his wrath.

Paranoia underlies
His selfish motives and decisions.
Bizarre conspiracy theories color
Much of the content of his visions.

Compassion to him is strictly conditional
And given with expectations in mind.
Strict adherence to extreme notions
Has made him forget how to be kind.

His idea of greatness is really
A chimera that reiterates
A motto of separation: "We
The privileged of the United States."

- by Bob B (6-7-17)

Medicare and Social Security
Again are coming under attack.
Don't give Republicans
Who mess with the programs any slack.

Earned benefits are exactly
What most Americans want to preserve.
Whenever lamebrained politicians
Threaten them, they touch a nerve.

Fight, people; fight to keep
Necessary programs strong.
Don't let manipulating
Schemers con you and string you along.

When they blather on about vouchers
And privatization and drive you nuts,
Politely tell them to take their vouchers
And stuff them up their you-know-whats.

- by Bob B (11-15-16)

Politics, O politics!
In life there is no simple fix.
In everything we do or say
Politics has a role to play.
 
When early man hung out in caves
And used crude tools and dug crude graves,
Someone had to take command
And maintain the upper hand.
Even the Neanderthals
Had cool paintings on their walls.
Who appointed the artiste?
Someone with some clout, at least.
Early humans had to spin
Their politics to get buy-in.
Organization was a necessity
When wild boar was their recipe.
Imagine cave meetings, if you can—
How they communicated man to man.
They’d just grunt and **** and such;
I guess men haven’t changed that much.
 
Under kings’ and emperors’ rule
You had to play politics, or you were a fool.
If you weren’t careful to watch what you said,
You could easily lose your head.
Men making rules had little regard
For the status of women, so it’s been hard
For women to earn their equal rights,
Which means lots of political fights.
That's politics at work; we know it!
If we're not vigilant, we can blow it.
In sports there’s a definite political tune,
And the church—especially—is not immune.
In every relationship, in each interaction,
In every connection, in each attraction,
Like it or not, politics will emerge;
If ideas don’t CON-, then they DIVERGE.
  
Frankly, it doesn’t matter whether
TWO or a MILLION people are together;
There’s no avoiding a political scene.
Human nature has a political mien.
We can talk local, county, state,
National or global politics. But wait!
What about the nature of politics in space?
It’s something to consider, just in case.
Some people have to play second fiddle.
If they're NOT at the top, they're bottom or middle.
Whether in the center, to the right, or to the left,
Hopefully, you don’t feel bereft.
If one side's right and the other side's wrong,
That’s okay; we can still get along.
As long as there are people, politics will never
Disappear; it will last forever.
 
Politics, O politics!
Always expect a bag of tricks.
Try, if you want, to wish it away;
Politics is here to stay.

- by Bob B

Watch out, women! Across the country
Privileged white men are taking
Steps that will abolish for you
The right to your own decision-making.

Ah, these white, privileged men
Think that they are justified
In having complete control, as though
"The Handmaid's Tale" is their guide.

Something that isn't an easy decision
Will still not be yours to be made
If these white, privileged men
Continue to carry out their crusade.

If these privileged lawmakers
Get their way--just so you know--
And if you choose to defy their decree,
Off to prison you will go.

How these men love to decide
What you should or shouldn't do!
How these men love the power
To know what is best for you!

Once your rights are severely restricted
And these white men are on a roll,
Just watch as they then proceed
To tamper with your birth control.

Women all, be vigilant!
You must act before it's too late.
You'll be stripped of your rights. Is that
Something you will tolerate?

-by Bob B (5-10-19)

Hold on tight! Weather the storm!
Don't let troubles disempower you.
Keep your focus. Stay the course.
Beware of sharks that try to devour you.

Let not the torrents of tempestuous talk
Affect your ability to maintain control.
Don't be driven off course by winds
Of hatred. Keep your eyes on the goal.

Be not distracted by waves of abuse
That brutally beat against your bow
And threaten to end your inspired journey
With powerful force upon your prow.

Ride the waves--the ups, the downs,
The forwards, the backs, the lefts, the rights.
Let your inner strength and stamina
Navigate you through starless nights.

Do not crash into fellow ships
Also caught in the stormy sea.
Watch out for damaging attacks and assaults
Surrounding you in the floating debris.

Beware of pirates; they're out there waiting
To stalk and steal, damage and destroy.
Protect yourself to further protect
The needs of the struggling hoi polloi.

Storms will come and storms will go;
Maintain vigilant command of your ship.
The ocean is a capricious host;
There's NO guarantee of a storm-free trip.

Therefore, be sure to hold on tight!
Though nights are dark and days are gray,
And though your ship is tossed at sea,
Safe harbor is not far away.

- by Bob B

So ol' Pat Robertson kicked the bucket.
For him the bell has tolled.
He shouldn't complain; he lived to be
Ninety-three years old.

He used his power to galvanize
A staunch religious Right,
And nonsensical culture wars
Became his constant fight.

Having no problem whatsoever
Blending church and state,
Robertson used the media
To spread his platform of hate.

Feminism drove many women
To witchcraft--an evil path--
Robertson claimed, and earthquakes, he said,
Were caused by Jehovah's wrath.

One of his most wrongheaded statements--
Obnoxious in so many ways--
Was when he stated that 9/11
Attacks were caused by gays!

Dangerously incendiary
Statements to him were candy,
And lashing out at others became
His modus operandi.

Equating gays with Satanists
And Nazis--so malicious--
Robertson seemed so very obsessed
With gays. Highly suspicious!

I wonder if he'll realize NOW--
And I don’t mean to be snarky--
That much of what he spouted here
On Earth was full of malarkey.

-by Bob B (6-9-23)

"It's so much fun being president
Of a great country like this.
I love it when people sing my praises,
So everyone can share my bliss.

"I can do whatever I want.
The only ones who seem to obsess
About my activities are
What I call the dishonest press.

"My people don't give a ****
About my income tax returns.
My people have faith in me
And listen when I express my concerns.

"I can hire whoever I want.
And what's more I can require them
To pledge complete loyalty to me.
If they don't, I can fire them.

"You can gain so much support
If what you do when critics start pressing
Is cut off access to information.
Confuse 'em all and keep 'em guessing.

"When they bring up a Russia connection
And even suggest the word 'collusion,'
I distract them with tweet after tweet
To make a commotion and cause confusion.

"One of my favorite perks on the job
Is taking all of my paid vacations.
I also love having the power
To cut off any investigations.

"My business empire continues to grow.
Conflict of interest? Bah, that's bunk.
Don't believe it when the media
Say my approval ratings have shrunk.

"All of my success up to now
Adamantly underscores
One of my favorite sayings, and that's
'You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.'

"And when the people take you to court
For stiffing them or trying to ***** 'em,
Use your billions of dollars to pay
Lawyers to help you countersue 'em.

I love to have my fans in Congress
Eating out of the palm of my hand.
We have to merely yell, 'Fake news!'
When something doesn't go as planned.

"Regarding international affairs,
They say I'm awkward and not well versed.
It isn't about the rest of the world;
It's all about America first!

"Any group that gives me money,
Gets my support all the way--
From dangerous climate change deniers
To all my friends at the NRA.

"When my critics complain about
Anything I say or do,
I love to go on TV and say,
'I'M the president; not you.'"

-by Bob B (7-5-17)

Trump just doesn't understand
Why some people are so upset
That he was elected president.
But there is one thing he mustn't forget:

More voted AGAINST him than FOR him;
He didn't win the popular vote.
Thus, he didn't receive a mandate
And doesn't deserve the right to gloat.

Wrapped in smugness, he doesn't see
The reason people protest the election.
A person who spewed so much hatred won!
THAT is the cause of people's objection.

He also fails to grasp why supporters
Commit violent acts in his name.
After he started a fire of bigotry,
Others continue to fan the flame.

Conveniently, he overlooks
The fact that his ugly campaign
Singled out scapegoats, and caused  a flurry
Of blame and attacks hard to restrain.

It doesn't work to claim innocence.
It doesn't work to feign surprise.
After a campaign trail of untruths,
We'd like to see him dispense with his lies.

If he plans to be president for all
He's going to have to change his tune
And stop barking up the wrong tree--
Stop howling at the moon.

- by Bob B (11-14-16)

A neighboring star in our galaxy,
Only eleven light-years away--
Which really isn't that far if you
Listen to what astronomers say--

Is called Ross 128.
It's a red dwarf--one among many.
You might know about such stars.
Frankly, I hadn’t heard about any.

Red dwarf stars are stars that are
Very similar to that one--
They are smaller in mass, dimmer,
And live much longer than our Sun.

Orbiting Ross 128
Is Ross 128-b,
A planet that resembles Earth--
At least very possibly.

How amazing it is to wonder
When looking across the great expanse
Of the universe, if other forms
Of life exist! What's the chance?

Some astronomers are elated;
Others aren't, for it's not known
If the planet happens to lie
In what we call the habitable zone.

But if it does, and if it has
Intelligent beings, let's hope they're
More intelligent than we are,
Or they haven't got a prayer.

By the way, current technology
Could get you to the planet, but here's
The problem: the trip would take at least
One hundred forty-one thousand years!

-by Bob B (11-17-17)

Starting out as a precocious child,
He always maintained a calm exterior.
He never begrudged the competition
For winning and never felt inferior.
A lucky streak would occur for a while;
A spate of losses would follow. Alas!
He took the wins and losses in stride
And merely stated, "All things must pass."

He felt he was somewhat lucky in life--
Though luck always comes and goes, it seems.
He met someone and fell in love--
He claimed he'd found the "girl of his dreams."
Three kids later they parted ways--
By mutual consent--no fights; no sorrow.
"So it goes," he calmly said.
"Here today and gone tomorrow."

His acumen in business matters
Brought him solid financial security
While many competitors sadly foundered
And faded away into obscurity.
He kept his dignity and calm demeanor,
Even during a major fumble,
And said, "Life is constant change,"
When Wall Street took a disastrous tumble.

A second marriage later in life
For him was a type of resurrection
As he and his new love explored the world.
That gave his life a new direction.
When she succumbed to a major illness,
His feelings, over which he held sway,
Allowed him to grieve by quoting George Harrison
As he said, "All things must pass away."

"I've had a good life," he'd proudly aver,
"I have no regrets and no complaints.
I'm not the biggest cad in the world,
And you won't find me among the saints."
While on his death bed surrounded by family--
Knowing it was his final hour--
Unable to talk, he lovingly smiled
And pointed at a wilting flower.

- by Bob B

Fifty-two years ago
The people of the US saw
President Lyndon Johnson sign
The Voting Rights Act into law.

Our leaders and our Supreme Court
Have since struck down important protections
That came with the VRA,
Affecting our freedom and future elections.

Our right to vote is under attack--
A blow in the gut to Uncle Sam.
The president's new Voter Fraud
Commission is real sham.

Applying more obstacles
That make it harder for people to vote
Is not conducive for keeping our
Democratic values afloat.

The reasons for the assaults on our rights
Are obvious and calculating.
Believers of democracy
Should find them all infuriating.

It's sad and scary to see our leaders
Limit our rights with no remorse.
But clearly for our president,
That, good people, is par for the course.

(8-7-17) By Bob B