"The Poor Really Have It So Easy"

Many think that the poor have it easy.

Well, let’s see if they really do....

Ah, they must if you carefully consider

What they do NOT have to go though.

They DON'T have huge investment dilemmas,

Such as "Is my portfolio complete?"

Or "Will I maintain my financial status?

It's hard keeping up with the elite!"

The poor aren’t faced with countless decisions

That make their daily lives so insane:

“Which car should I drive—the Mercedes or Lexus?”

“Armani or Gucci?” “Which pill for pain?"

The poor do not have thousands of options

For health care, so for them it’s a breeze.

"Why do they need preventative medicine?

Emergency care should put them at ease."

Taking care of a mansion is tough,

So the rich always have a reason to grouse.

"The poor have it easy with just an apartment,

Or if they’re lucky, a ramshackle house."

The rich, having to juggle their money,

Are in a quandary, so to speak.

"The poor can live simply, for they get to live

From paycheck to paycheck, from week to week."

It’s hard to organize fancy dinners;

To get the best caterers, you have to pull strings.

"It's so much easier for the poor:

On food stamps can’t they still live like kings?"

Hiding millions of dollars is a challenge;

The Cayman Islands are so far away.

"For those don’t have the money to hide,

Life’s less hassle for them, you might say."

Tax loopholes are also a headache;

It’s hard to determine which ones work best.

"Those with no money don’t have to worry

Because they lack the funds to invest."

Just ask the poor: if they had a choice,

Would they be willing to make a switch,

And give up the easy life of the poor

For the complex, difficult life of the rich?

(6-27-14) By Bob B

If There's Hope, Then...

It's been said that HOPE springs eternal—

That it elevates one’s point of view.

Three cheers to Alexander Pope!

Perhaps my DREAM may yet come true.

I DREAMED that people worked together,

Eager to put their differences aside;

Their beliefs in no way clouded their reason;

And this happened worldwide.

I DREAMED that nations conquered hunger—

All people had enough to eat.

Everyone shared without begrudging

Those who struggled to make ends meet.

I DREAMED that tolerance and acceptance

Were the order of the day—

That hatred and discrimination

Finally both died away.

I DREAMED that people realized

The world did not revolve around them—

That their selfishness and egoism

Had only stifled them and drowned them.

I DREAMED that people loved the Earth

And taught their children to respect it;

In so doing their children learned

To appreciate it and protect it.

I DREAMED that anger dissipated

And that out of vengeance no one killed;

Wars became nonexistent;

Therefore, no more blood was spilled.

I DREAMED that people in all nations

Acknowledged everybody’s rights,

Pushing the goals of inclusiveness

And caring to amazing heights.

I DREAMED that our entire world

Worked together to vanquish disease;

Health care and housing everywhere

Were automatic guarantees.

Precious HOPE, I’ll hold you tight;

If my visions are mistaken

And the world becomes more hostile,

Then from this DREAM let me not waken.


By Bob B (6-26-14)

Please, Mr. Boehner, Don't Waste Our Time!

The Speaker of the House, John Boehner—

As if more important issues weren’t pressing—

Wants to sue President Obama.

Poor Boehner—I think he’s obsessing.

He says the President’s executive orders

Seriously and categorically erode

The power of the legislative branch.

Mr. Boehner’s heading down the wrong road.

If the President has to circumvent Congress,

Does it ever occur to Boehner why?

Does recalcitrant Congress ring a bell?

What about House gone awry?

Dealing with a dysfunctional Congress,

The President surely understands

That getting anything done means

Taking matters into his own hands.

Please, please, please, Mr. Boehner,

Don’t waste both our money and our time!

Deal with issues that move us forward.
That would truly be sublime!


By Bob B (6-26-14)

The Wannabe

Have you heard of the chicken

Who wanted to be a duck?

You have to admit that the chicken

Had a great deal of pluck.

Scrutinizing her duck friends,

She sought out the best model,

But despite weeks of practice,

She still couldn’t waddle.

“This clucking,” she said, “won’t cut it.

I need to learn how to quack.”

But the only sounds she emitted

Were still not a “quack” but a “clack.”

“I prefer to eat duck food,”

She boasted, and with that

She gobbled up all she could

And ended up getting too fat.

“Ducks are good at flying,

So it makes perfect sense

For me to try it,” she said—

Barely reaching the fence.

“That’s it!” she finally exclaimed.

“For swimming ducks are renowned.”

She dashed into the lake,

Flapped her wings, and drowned.

The ducks sighed in sadness.

Poor chicken—she just couldn’t see

THAT THINGS AREN’T NECESSARILY

ALL THEY’RE QUACKED UP TO BE.


By Bob B (6-24-14)

The Story of Skunk and Fox

One day Skunk said to Fox,

“Boy, do you ever reek!

I have to tell you, Foxie:

You smell much worse than last week.”

Fox replied to Skunk,

“Hey, you’re one to talk.

I can smell you coming

From way around the block.”

Skunk said, “Okay, let’s ask

Ms. Flower since she’s so discreet.”

Said Fox, “Yuck, why her?

She smells so sickingly sweet.”

So Fox suggested Pelican.

“Well,” said Skunk, “if you wish.

But don’t forget that he always

Smells like rotten fish.”

They tried and tried for hours

To agree on who could best judge

Which of the two smelled the worse.

Finally, Fox cried out, “Fudge!”

Then Fox went on his way,

Wandering back to his den.

“Don’t YOU smell good!” said the Missis;

She even said it again.

Skunk hurried on home,

Where he knew his mother would be.

“Mom, do I smell bad?”

She answered, “Not to me.”

A moral of this story

Is all about point of view:

Let others be who they are,

And be comfortable just being you.

Take with a grain of salt,

What others say or think;

And never let it upset you

When they tell you that you stink!


By Bob B (6-24-14)

Money Talks

Income inequality here

Displays a scary regression,

With the disparity now as great as it was

During the Great Depression.

When chief executive officers make

Over two hundred fifty times more

Then the salary of the average worker,

That is hard to ignore.

True, NOT all CEOs are greedy;

There’s a problem, nonetheless,

For as the wage disparity increases,

It adds to our country’s distress.

The destabilizing factors

Lead to our country’s fragility,

For it has a deleterious effect on

Social and economic mobility.

But nowadays wealth means freedom of speech—

More freedom comes with more money.

And multinational corporations

Control so much it’s not funny.

It’s ironic that we with so many resources

Could see our transformation

From being a powerful force in the world

To becoming a third-world nation.


By Bob B (6-23-14)

Obstructionism

"Obstructionism...obstructionism:

It has to be my favorite -ism.

So what if we have a schism.

Three cheers for obstructionism!

"Who cares if it’s wrong or right?

The important thing is fight, fight, fight.

I don’t care what others say;

But I'll be damned if they get their way!

"You have your cause, I have mine;

But still I have to draw the line:

I don’t believe in compromise—

That’s a word that I despise.

"My constituents voted for me.

I am sure they’ll all agree

That I’m the one who knows the best

When any issue is addressed.

"So we shut the government down.

There’s a jewel in the crown:

Knowing you can always guide

The folks to blame the other side.

"I know there’s a golden rule,

But let me tell you: I’m no fool.

It does not apply to you

When you’ve got wealth and status, too.

"I let lobbyists speak their mind

And with their cause I’ll be aligned.

(That depends on the amount

That ends up in my bank account.)

"How I love to filibuster

With ALL the effort I can muster!

Also, stalling—it’s worth noting—

Is good for keeping us from voting.

"It’s political suicide

To perchance forget to hide

Your real feelings on a matter

And not to indulge in senseless chatter.

"Please don’t think we are inept.

Actually, we’re quite adept

At killing proposals one by one

(And getting very little done).

"Obstructionism...obstructionism--

The next best thing to favoritism.

We have an ideological schism,

So three cheers for obstructionism!"

(6-22-14) By Bob B

Mr. Cheney's Dubious Relationship with Facts

12-9-01

That fact that Iraq is harboring terrorists

To Cheney is “pretty conclusive,”

Which indicates that his understanding

Of facts is PRETTY illusive.

8-26-02

No doubt exists, according to Cheney,

Of Saddam Hussein’s production

Of weapons that cause significant harm—

Or weapons of mass destruction.

8-27-02

Once we remove Saddam Hussein,

The gravest threats will cease.

And then, Cheney adds, the area will

Experience lasting peace.

3-16-03

As liberators we will be greeted,

Says Cheney; then he seeks

To convince the American people that

The invasion will last only weeks.

9-14-03

He says that success in Iraq will indicate

That we have struck a blow

At the HEART of the GEOGRAPHIC BASE

Of terrorists. (Again, he eats crow.)

1-10-04

Cheney insists there is a connection

On more than one occasion

Between al Qaida and Iraqi intelligence,

Which justified our invasion.

6-20-05

In 2005 Cheney assures us

The insurgency’s in its last throes.

How many more years did the war go on?

Everybody knows!

6-21-14

Looking back we can all see

How Cheney had strung us along.

Was it ignorance or willful deception?

Whatever the case, he was wrong.

When seeking guidance on Middle Eastern problems,

Let’s not make the same mistake twice.

Instead, let’s find more credible sources

And NOT ask for Cheney’s advice.


By Bob B (6-21-14)

Experiment Gone Haywire?

Overwhelmed by so much to do,

And concerned that things would only get worse,

God decided to reevaluate

And take stock of His universe.

“I know it’s small in the scheme of things,

But I have to say, for what it’s worth,

One of my favorite projects was

A little planet known as Earth.

“What a beautiful place it was—

Forests thick with towering trees,

Emerald valleys, golden fields,

Crystal lakes, and unspoiled seas!

“But, oh, my goodness, look how man

Has managed to the nth degree

To sabotage my work of art!

Good intentions backfired on me.

“Majestic forests: disappearing;

Gorgeous valleys: barren mounds;

Lakes and seas: polluted waters;

Golden fields: dumping grounds.

“I gave people ears to hear with,

But no one listens anymore;

I gave people hearts to feel with,

Yet feeling has gone out the door.

“I gave people eyes to see with,

Yet so many folks are blind;

I gave people brains to think with;

What has happened to their mind?

“Instead of helping their fellow man,

Out of anger they hurt and maim.

Instead of peacefully living together,

They fight their battles in my name.

“WHY is there such reluctance

To offer aid to those in need?

Generosity and sharing

Both have been replaced by greed.

“The measurement of countries’ success

Unfortunately corresponds,

Not to taking care of the people,

But to GNP and stocks and bonds.

“People also use my name

To justify their cruel hate.

Why can’t more see me as LOVE.

Now THAT truly would be great.

“They love to put words in my mouth

And claim to know my secret thoughts;

Then they try to control others.

People, you don’t call the shots!

“Having had so much to work with,

Folks should easily get along.

So either this was meant to happen,

Or my experiment went wrong.

“When considering the laws of nature,

I included circumspection.

HA! I guess that we can say

I’m perfect in my imperfection.

“There’s one good thing about this, though:

All things must pass. So maybe I’m

Going to have much more success

When I make an Earth next time.”


By Bob B (6-20-14)

The What-a-Mess-in-the-Middle East! Waltz

One...two...three...one...two...three...stay on the beat...

One...two...three...one...two...remain on your feet...

Oh, it’s bizarre and incredible how

We have gotten involved in another mess now.

Unfortunately, someone has unleashed the beast;

Look what is happening throughout the Middle East.

Iraq is continuing to deteriorate;

The situation is even more crucial of late,

With insurgents imposing Sharia law

In cities from which Iraqi soldiers withdraw.

Frequent executions add to the crisis

When captives don’t pledge their allegiance to ISIS.

Our Qatari and Saudi Arabian “friends”

Support the insurgents, which therefore portends

Big trouble because the U.S. and Iran,

Have considered a type of rapprochement.

That makes the Saudis and Qataris upset.

There’s also a problem: we must not forget,

That if we work closely with Muslim nations,

It affects our U.S. / Israeli relations.

One...two...three...one...two...three...where’s it all heading?...

One...two...three...one...two...three...see how it’s spreading...

Maliki blundered by placing priority

So strictly upon the Shiite majority.

His country is blowing up in his face,

And his rule will probably end in disgrace.

The Sunnis, the Shiites, and also the Kurds,

Are now dividing Iraq into thirds.

The insurgents plan to maintain control

By making an Islamic caliphate their goal.

As they fight their bloody and cruel civil war,

There’s more chaos coming from the country next door:

Syria’s situation is especially grim

As hopes for a quick resolution seem dim.

Extremists in both lands are vying for power

While the people are suffering more and more by the hour.

If all parties were less bent on cruel retribution

And put greater stress on a diplomatic solution,

Maybe there’s a chance that we’d see peace prevail.

Or would it be easier to encounter the Grail?

One...two...three...one...two...has wisdom taken flight?...

One...two...three...one...two...there is none in sight...


By Bob B (6-18-14)

Missed Opportunity

Situated on the sidewalk

With his back against the wall

Of Bank of America,

He stared. That’s all.

With frayed trousers,

A tattered shirt,

Worn sneakers

Covered with dirt—

He sat alone.

Only now and then

Did he look up...

And then stare again.

A striking contrast

To the passersby—

The Gucci dress,

The George Neale tie...

He held a sign;

“HUNGRY” it said,

Scribbled on cardboard,

Written in red.

His beseeching gaze

Seemed to convey

His hunger and pain.

I looked away.

Someone will give him

Enough for a meal,

I rationalized—

Trying not to feel.

I should have helped

The guy somehow;

Those imploring eyes

Still haunt me now.


By Bob B (6-18-14)

Just Don't Take My Gun! (A Redneck Love Song)

You can have my wife.

I’ll give up my truck.

I admit, without them

Life would really suck.

Take my riding mower

And my rod and reel;

And while you are at it,

Take my new fifth wheel.

That might really hurt;

Life wouldn’t be so fun.

You can take most anything,

Just don’t take my gun!

Come and get my tools—

My hammer and my drill.

Don’t forget to also

Take my Solaire grill.

I’ll part with my saws—

Dovetail, chain, and rip.

Take the whole tool shed;

I ain’t gonna quip.

You can have my kids—

Take ‘em one by one.

I’ll get by without ‘em;

Just don’t take my gun!

Take my fishing tackle

And my motor boat.

If you want I’ll even

Throw in my last oat.

Go on, take my Stetson

And my Tony Lamas

And that mantle clock there

(Though it was my mama’s).

Hell, take all my clothes—

Don’t bother leaving none.

I don’t need ‘em anyway;

Just don’t take my gun!

You can have my sofa

And my favorite chair.

Take my widescreen TV;

I don’t really care.

Go on, take my beer,

My freezer full of grouse,

My washer and my dryer...

Take the whole damn house.

I’ll give you all my tales—

Every yarn I’ve spun.

You can have my heart and soul;

Just don’t take my gun!


By Bob B (6-17-14)

Downplaying Violence

A sad and alarming figure

Has popped up in the news;

The more we ignore that number,

The more young people we’ll lose.

SEVENTY-FOUR school shootings

Have occurred since Sandy Hook.

One shooting per week on the average—

A horrible thing in my book!

But CNN’s downplayed these numbers

By fiddling around with their meaning,

And saying it’s only fifteen.

That has got some people screaming.

They say that some shootings don’t count—

That SEVENTY-FOUR is inflated

And should not include those that are fight-,

Accident-, or gang-related.

How shocking and totally absurd

Is that manipulative computing!

Let us face reality:

ANY school shooting’s a shooting!

Whatever your interpretation,

Something has got to be done

To keep violent individuals

From getting their hands on a gun.

Concerned politicians

Should send gun lobbyists packing.

But for that they need a backbone,

Or something else that they’re lacking.


By Bob B (6-16-14)

Responsibility

Wouldn’t there be a pervasive tranquility

If more people showed some responsibility?

Why, for example, can people sue

A restaurant—let’s say a certain drive-through—

After spilling in their lap the coffee they’d bought,

And claim that their coffee had been too hot?

Since coffee can be hot, why haven’t they learned

That if you aren’t careful, you can get burned?

This makes me wonder about the futility

Of expecting societal responsibility.

Consider the people about whom you’ve heard mention

Who amble along without paying attention

With their eyes and thoughts on their cellular phone,

Fall into a fountain, and then afterwards moan

And gripe about how it was stupid because

The fountain should not have been where it was!

This, too, suggests the likely futility

That some will ever show responsibility.

There are also those people in parking lots

Who leave shopping carts by their parking spots—

Instead of finding the appropriate places—

And then speed away as if off to the races

While the carts roll through the lot and mar

The paint job on somebody else’s car.

Again I wonder: is it a futility

To expect to see personal responsibility?

And another thing...ugh...I have a fit

When I’m out for a walk and I step in dog s--t!

All right, maybe it’s true I’m not hep,

And I know I have to watch where I step,

But tell me, is it laziness or what

That some people can’t clean up after their mutt?

Does it also to you seem a futility

To expect in others some responsibility?

I could give you another example

For believe you me, I have ample.

But let me step down from my soap box. Okay?

And do forgive me if I’ve been risqué.

You’re certainly not in the line of fire,

For I’m sure I am preaching to the choir.

My point today, which is easy to see,

Is about responsibility.

(6-14-14) By Bob B

Poor Iraq

Iraq has been falling apart

At a pace that’s horribly numbing.

When Bush sent our troops to the country,

Who didn’t see that coming?

Bent on blaming Obama

For pulling our soldiers out,

A number of politicians

Refuse to acknowledge, no doubt,

The previous president’s crafty

And deceptive manipulation

To involve us militarily

By feeding us misinformation.

When we pulled out in 2010—

Though to some it might sound naive—

The then Iraqi government

Wanted our forces to leave.

We’d trained Iraqi soldiers—

And also bear in mind—

We’d spent billions of dollars

And left tons of equipment behind.

Now the various factions,

Will continue to bring more and more

Grief to the unfortunate country

In a vicious civil war.

Militants and insurgents
Have increasingly entered the fray,
Adding to the chaos,
Which is growing worse every day.

Iraqi people will suffer

From the mess that was left over there.

What do you feel now? Anger?

Sadness? Indifference? Despair?

No matter how you see it

Or the solution you prefer,

You know when we leave Afghanistan,

The same thing will occur.

We can’t turn back the clock,

And much damage has been done,

So the decisions now to be made

Are going to weigh a ton.


By Bob B (6-13-14)

Beautiful Europe—2014

Ah, Europe! What a place!

We heard your beckoning call

And opened up our hearts—and wallets—

Eager to embrace your all.

The lush“Pfälzer Wald” of Germany

Is gorgeous beyond belief.

Enchanted forests everywhere—

I loved every leaf.

We took the train to Amsterdam;

Man was it a riot!

Marijuana shops galore.

And, NO, we didn’t try it.

The Anne Frank House is a must.

But wow, what a shock:

Bicyclists are ubiquitous,

So watch out where you walk!

Next stop on the Rhine: Cologne;

You cannot miss the “Dom”

And Roman ruins throughout the city—

You won’t find those at home.

After stopping in Koblenz

We continued up the Rhine.

Think three things: the Loreley,

Castles, and great wine.

Lovely Heidelberg was next—

A truly gorgeous town.

The setting from across the bridge

Is among the best—hands down.

To Wertheim then we made our way,

On the lovely Main,

And had cake in a German home!

Was that not divine!

On to Würzburg—our next stop.

The Residenz was grand.

And Franconian wine! I asked myself:

Is this the promised land?

Lovely Rothenburg was next—

A town that’s quaint and charming.

The torture museum was, however,

A little bit alarming.

O Bamberg, city on seven hills,

I’d be insincere

If I didn’t say how much I liked

Your pastries and smoky beer.

In Nuremberg we saw the court

Where the famous trials occurred.

And for bratwurst and the gingerbread

I’ll put in a good word.

The Danube Gorge near Kelheim

Was a marvel to sail through,

And the Weltenburg Monastery nestled there

Is famous for its brew.

As Germany’s oldest medieval town,

Regensburg is renowned.

And that's where the country's oldest Roman

Bridge can also be found.

Passau on the Danube River—

Was an elegant town to behold.

In fact, all sights along the rivers

Never once grew old.

The Abbey in the town of Melk

And Austria’s Wachau Valley:

Such captivating places as we

Neared the trip’s finale.

Vienna—such a classy city—

So much to do and see:

Palaces, cathedrals, parks...

That’s the place to be!

Our trip is now a memory.

(What’s more, it didn’t break us!)

Now that we have the wanderlust,

Who knows where it might take us?


By Bob B (6-11-14)

We Are One

(Chorus)

We are one,

America,

Living together in the land of the free.

We are one,

America,

United by our marvelous diversity.

Let’s all join together

And let animosities cease.

Since we’re one,

America,

May we live together in peace!

May all hearts be united

As we gratefully recall

The hope of the Founding Fathers

To promote the well-being of ALL!

For ALL people are equal;

Let our differences not divide us.

Let’s support the rights of others,

Letting love in our hearts guide us.

(Chorus)

Persecuted elsewhere,

Many came to this land

Seeking religious freedom;

For their ideals they took a stand.

They built a new society

Despite harsh weather and gale.

May freedom forever flourish!

May tolerance prevail!

(Chorus)

We have learned to handle challenges

Through the dark times of our past.

A bright future still awaits us;

We can get there at long last.

May our legacy to our children

Be a land that’s safe and clean!

And may remnants of past foibles

Be few and far between.

(Chorus)

May priorities for our future

Not be about power and wealth!

Instead, let’s place our focus

On employment and learning and health.

As we work with other nations

To make the world a better place,

Start with greeting others

With a huge smile on your face.

(Chorus)


By Bob B (6-8-14)

Focus on Scandals

Let’s focus on scandals.

What a great way

To avoid major issues

And problems today!

Emphasize pettiness;

Muddle the facts.

Use loaded language—

Whatever attracts.

Make false analogies

And assumptions that fool.

Try hyperbole;

That’s a great tool.

Stick to reasoning

That’s superficial

And guards your opinions

That are prejudicial.

Though prejudging’s helpful

To bolster your case,

Use misinformation

With cunning and grace.

Twist, distort,

Throw in some lies;

Pull the wool

Over their eyes.

For expert examples

Of the perfect ruse,

Turn on the TV,

Then turn to Fox News.


By Bob B (6-7-14)

And Yet Another Shooting...

And yet another shooting in our complacent nation!

You know it will continue to go on without cessation.

There will be another, and another, and another,

Until every parent—every father, every mother—

And all others who decry this murderous scourge,

And are tired of listening to a sad, perennial dirge,

Will stand with other people and together as a force

Will help to put our misdirected country back on course.

Do you ever wonder what it’s going to take

For all the apathetic people to awake—

People lulled to sleep by the powerful NRA?

I’m not talking fairy tale; this is not child’s play.

We can’t be more serious: the killing has to end!

Tell me, Americans, what do you intend

To do about this problem? Don’t say that you’ll go on

Being someone’s toady—being someone’s pawn—

Victimized by politics, afraid to take a stand.

Then the situation’s hopeless and way out of hand.

How many more parents are going to lose a child

As more and more violent statistics are compiled?

Don’t let politicians lead you through a maze

Of patriotic rhetoric and flashy, trite clichés.

Speak up loudly and let our leaders know

They should have taken action on this matter long ago.

Our children and their future deserve to be protected.

Heaven help them if the situation’s not corrected.

The violence will not disappear all on its own.

There are others out there; you are not alone.

Seek out other people to help you spread the word;

Work to overturn the current laws that are absurd.

Like the characters in Network, we’ll let our voices roar:

We’re as mad as hell, and we won’t take it anymore!


By Bob B (6-6-14)

Prisoner Exchange--May 31, 2014

The exchange of Sergeant Bergdahl has been

Controversial to say the least;

And the former fervor of some politicians

For the soldier’s return has greatly decreased.

Our military has a basic motto:

Never leave a soldier behind.

Those who are critical of Bergdahl’s exchange

Ought to keep this motto in mind.

As more information comes to light

And courts decide where the soldier stands,

At least he’s no longer being held captive—

Languishing in Taliban hands.

A swap of five Guantánamo detainees

For one soldier—the critics have said—

Places our country in greater danger

Of further terrorist acts ahead.

Just FIVE detainees put us in danger?

That number’s extremely understated.

Since our involvement in Bush’s wars,

THOUSANDS of terrorists have been created!


By Bob B (6-5-14)

Don't Forget Your Gun!

Chorus:
Don’t forget
Your gun, boys,
Don’t forget your gun!
Heed the call;
To hell with ‘em all;
Look out for number one.
It’s your Second
Amendment right;
Don’t let it be undone.
Don’t forget
Your gun, no,
Don’t forget your gun!

I’m off to church.
Where’s my rifle?
Oh, there’s my trusty friend.
You never know
When it might come in
Handy in the end.
Since the Devil is
Everywhere,
Just as a rule of thumb:
A few shots
And that bastard
Will be blown to kingdom come!

(Chorus)

I love it now
That I can take
My firearms to my school.
What a rush
I get when I
Apply the golden rule:
Unto others
Do what basically
You’d like others to do.
Just remember:
Shoot before
They take a shot at you!

(Chorus)

Don’t forget
To take your rifle
With you to the bar.
No need to leave it
Hanging proudly
In your truck or car.
You never know
How many outlaws
You will find in there.
After a few
Glasses of beer,
They haven’t got a prayer!

(Chorus)

What a blast
To take my gun
Into a fast food joint!
When I do
I have to say
My actions make a point.
I can watch
As people turn
Away from me and cower.
It makes me feel
Like such a man!
It gives me so much power!

So...
Don’t forget
Your gun, boys,
Don’t forget your gun!
Heed the call;
To hell with ‘em all;
Look out for number one.
It’s your Second
Amendment right.
Plus, it's so much fun!
Don’t forget
Your gun, no,
Don’t forget your gun!


By Bob B (6-4-14)

Who Are We Really?

WHO are we really?

The person that we display

To others can’t be “real”—

We keep so much at bay.

Parent, sibling, relative,

Friend, acquaintance, foe—

Each relationship differs.

Do we ever completely let go?

Are you too guarded and cautious

To say what you believe?

Or do you speak your thoughts

And wear your heart on your sleeve?

Are you focused on you—

Whoever this “you” may be?

Are you truly aware of

The forest beyond the tree?

The incredible journey inward

Is a path that few people travel,

For once beyond the façade,

Self-concepts start to unravel.

Face the core of being—

Naked and alone—

And comprehend ideas

Previously unknown,

And come to the realization—

From whatever might befall—

That we are NOT alone,

But really one with all?

Our complex personalities

Are as varied as the books on our shelves.

How well do we know other people?

How well do we know ourselves?

(6-2-14) By Bob B