An Ongoing Debate

Ever since we have been able

To carry on a healthy debate,

Humans have disagreed about

Each individual's ultimate fate.

 

Will death be, as Socrates put it,

Ultimately, a dreamless sleep--

One from which we never awake,

But also one that's painless and deep?

 

Or will we be transported somewhere

To meet and chat with the greats from the past--

Philosophers, religious figures,

Artists, athletes? The list is vast.

 

Will we end up in paradise--

With glorious gardens, lush and green?

Or will we find ourselves in hell,

Or even somewhere in between?

 

Will we return in a different form

Of life and start all over again?

Maybe men come back as women,

Or women might return as men.

 

Many folks think that there should be justice--

Punishments or rewards for all.

Everlasting torment or bliss:

A supernatural being's call.

 

Some folks think the living can pray

And thus assist the souls of the dead.

Others feel that praying won't help--

That we have soulless bodies instead.

 

This debate will probably

Go on forever, I suppose.

Whatever anybody says,

The bottom line is no one knows.

-by Bob B (1-2-26)

2026: New Year's Wishes

My New Year's wish for '26--

Or wishes, I should say--

Could reflect the style of

A painting by Monet.

 

May dabs of color represent

The peace so badly needed,

So in all countries, ruling tyrants'

Efforts are impeded.

 

May blended colors of Congress suggest

Fluidity, not lines

Dividing us, and may the feeble

Republicans grow spines.

 

The brush strokes show--when seen up close--

A cornered president's wrath,

And how he's leading America

Down a dangerous path.

 

The images we see are often

Vague and in a haze.

May we be tenacious; if so,

We'll soon see better days.

 

The composition: watch Trump's admin

Team as they all grope

For power; nonetheless, we'll win

If we hang on to hope.

 

Impressionists are noted for

The feelings they elicit.

In causing grief, Donald Trump

And cohorts are complicit.

 

May their cruelty be clear

To all who watch their actions,

And may the swirls of color make clear

All of Trump's distractions.

 

Those are my wishes for '26;

May they come to fruition.

But I have limited powers, for I'm

A poet, not a magician.

-by Bob B (12-31-25)

The One(s) to Thank

Just when we thought we were safe, guess what:

We are under attack.

Conspiracy theorist RFK Jr.

Is bringing measles back.

 

The secretary of health, who has

A dubious reputation,

Is sadly filling people's minds

With lies and misinformation.

 

Because of him, people will die

And deadly diseases will spread.

People will ignore the experts

And listen to him instead.

 

The anti-vaccine zealot is making

Vaccines harder to get.

People who value health and safety

Ought to be upset.

 

Ignoring the facts, RFK Jr.

Basically does what he pleases.

It almost seems as though he is

Eager to bring back diseases.

 

Do senators who confirmed the man

Feel an ounce of chagrin?

The secretary--unfit for his job--

Needs to be reined in.

-by Bob B (12-27-25)

A Murderer on a Killing Spree

Donald Trump is a murderer--

A murderer on a killing spree--

Look at all the extrajudicial

Killings of people in boats at sea.

 

He claims that narcotraffickers

Are on the boats. Let's cut to the chase:

Then stop them, confiscate the cargo,

And try and convict them if that's the case.

 

But no, he's letting killer Hegseth°

Call the shots. Shame on them!

And killing people in distress

Is murder with a capital M.

 

Millions of children around the world

Are dying because of Trump's crusade

To cut highly effective programs

Which offer humanitarian aid.

 

Many have died and more are going to,

Sadly, because of major cuts

To vaccine programs, for we have

A health secretary who's nuts.

 

Because of cuts in benefits

And food assistance, people will die.

But Donald Trump could not care less.

His M.O. is to turn a blind eye.

 

How much longer will Trump continue

To get away with murder? Who knows?

Congress must do its job instead

Of letting its power decompose.

-by Bob B (12-7-25)

°Pete Hegseth, Secretary of DEFENSE

The Epstein Files

As Trump's approval ratings plummet,

He is up to his age-old actions.

That means he's continually

Bombarding us with major distractions:

 

Blasting affordability,

He says that it's a con job--a sham.

It's obvious when people are hurting,

He just doesn't give a damn.

 

He stays awake at night and posts

Over 150 tweets!

(Maybe that was a night when someone

Had to come in and change his sheets.)

 

He insists his tariffs are good

And says that they are not a tax.

His admin team supports him on this,

Though most of them are foolish quacks.

 

He's threatening Venezuela now

As if he wants to start a war.

In term number one, he was a mess;

Now he's worse than he was before.

 

He keeps on pardoning criminals.

Our system of justice he tries to derail

As he goes after political

Opponents and threatens to send them to jail.

 

He's sending ICE agents into

More and more cities and says it’s a must.

He's calling immigrants garbage and lets

Their treatment by ICE be cruel and unjust.

 

Trump cherishes his distractions.

While we are being lied to and fleeced,

He is hoping that we forget

That we want the Epstein files released.

-by Bob B (12-4-25)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Russia

(This poem can be sung to the melody of Meredith Willson's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.")

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Russia

All across this land.

There's a president who's uncouth,

Who cannot tell the truth.

And everywhere more books are being banned.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Russia.

One thing's very clear:

If the people would rather snooze,

They will find that they will lose

Freedoms once held dear.

 

You've seen thugs on the streets

And the fear that repeats.

If you haven't, where have you been?

ICE agents swarm

And will break every norm.

It occurs again and again.

You never know where they'll show up

And, no, not even when.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Russia.

Murder on the seas.

Trump's opponents are made to sweat;

He will not let them forget

That he would love to shoot them in the knees.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Russia.

Trump demands control.

And he will not let you alone

Till he knows that he can own

Both your heart and soul.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Russia.

One thing's very clear:

If the people would rather snooze,

They will find that they will lose

Freedoms once held dear.

-by Bob B (12-2-25)

(Thanks to Nadya Tolokonnikova for the idea.)

A Growing Kleptocracy

The rich get richer as costs keep rising.

It's clear what's happening here:

Power, control, grift and greed

Rule the MAGAsphere.

 

The U.S.-backed plans of peace

For Russia and Ukraine,

Focus heavily on major

Business leaders' gain.

 

Those who benefit--and this

Should come as no surprise--

Are business leaders who maintain

Close White House ties.

 

Ruling elites are using government

Institutions to steal

Public assets to fill their pockets.

Always out for a deal!

 

The leader, of course, making billions,

Covers for his cronies,

And takes on the role of kleptocracy's

Master of ceremonies.

 

Scores of billionaires on Trump's

Donor lists have now

Been appointed to offices.

The password here: kowtow.

 

Family Trump is using its

Position to haul in the loot--

Advancing its own interests as it

Enriches itself to boot.

 

In the meantime, Donald Trump

Is spending a lot of time

Pardoning cronies who have been

Convicted of white-collar crime.

 

It's clear that Trump and his unscrupulous

Friends are running amuck,

NOT trying to do what's right

But trying to make a buck.

 

NO accountability!

That's what they desire

As they ignore us everyday folks

And plot, plan, and conspire.

 

Trump's campaign: to drain the swamp.

That is how he billed it.

Has he drained the swamp? Hell no!

The liar instead has filled it!

-by Bob B (12-1-25)