A World of Difference

One small change--a different decision

On someone else's part or on mine--

Could have changed my life completely

And given it a different design.

A chance encounter, a path not taken,

A different turn along the way,

And my world would be dissimilar

From the world I know today.

Different dreams, different thoughts,

And different likes would spread their wings.

Life would take on different meanings

With different pleasures and different stings.

Maybe I'd be rich and famous

Or maybe poorer than I am right now.

Perhaps the things I take to heart

My other self would disallow.

I can't imagine how different I'd be.

Would life have more or fewer upsets?

Since I can't turn back the clock,

It's useless for me to have regrets.

Besides, having regrets would mean

That parts of my past I'd want to undo.

That's out of the question, for that would mean

My path might not have led me to you.

(3-31-15) By Bob B

We'd Like You to Join Our Amazing Group

"We’d like you to join our amazing group.

Though some might call us a cult, we're not.

We wouldn't say we brainwash. No,

Let's just say we 'filter' each thought.

"We will teach you the right way to think;

We teach you how to "choose" your words,

How to act, and how to feel.

Critical thinking is for the birds.

"Therefore, you won't have to wonder

What is right and what is wrong here.

Since questioning and doubting confuse you,

Let's just say that they don't belong here.

"Our way, you'll find, is the ONLY path

To free you from a world of grief.

Once you cut ties with skeptics, your

Zealous commitment will give you relief.

"People out there curse and belittle us.

That doesn’t faze us, for they don’t see

That we are right and they are lost.

It’s all so clear. Don’t you agree?

"The blessed teachings that we employ

Have nothing at all to do with guilt.

Instead, we call it 'forming your conscience.'

Obey and you'll be backed to the hilt.

"Fear is a focus for cults out there.

Their tactics frighten, coerce, and demean.

You'll be safe and secure with us

If you can prove that you've come clean.

"If your friends and family don't join you,
No fear: you've got family with us.

Forget the others; you don't need them.

Lamenting their loss is not worth the fuss.

"Imagine how much honor you'll have

Recruiting new members to join our community.

They'll jump at the chance to share your path

To salvation at every opportunity.

"Your total allegiance, of course, is expected.

We can't imagine you'd try to deceive us.

One thing we can guarantee:

You'll never--EVER--want to leave us."

(3-30-15) By Bob B

Sometimes We Are Subjective, Objective, Reflexive, or Intensive

Sometimes We Are Subjective, Objective, Reflexive, or Intensive

By Bob B (3-26-15)

From the moment that he and she first met,

They both knew it was love at first sight.

To him or her it was never an option

That perfect love would ever take flight.

Between you and me, I never thought

That what they had would last forever.

For one thing, as much as he tried to succeed,

He saw himself failing at every endeavor.

At first she said, "Money, my dear,

Is not that important to you and me.

Success, money…ah, both you and I

Know that life comes with no guarantee."

Her words made him feel more self-assured.

To you and me such love is compelling.

Regarding him and her, however,

Distant bells were quietly knelling.

They say that he and she grew more distant

From each other; the unfortunate pair

Learned that for her and him there would be

NO surviving on a wing and a prayer.

Years later a friend of mine and I

Bumped into each other one day.

I asked him about the two old lovebirds,

And his face displayed a look of dismay.

"Well," he said, "you and I know

That he and she were destined to part.

I myself have learned the hard way:

How transient is love! How fickle the heart!

"They say that he has remarried and now

Travels the world from Nome to Bhutan.

She herself has also remarried

And lives in Paris with a filthy-rich man."

But you and I don’t have to be sad

IF our grasp of grammar is hazy.

May everybody find long-lasting love--

Despite the pronouns that drive us crazy.

By Bob B (3-26-15)

Spiders!

Would you hold a tarantula

On your upturned palm

And watch it creep up your arm

While you stayed cool and calm?

You might be able to do it,

Or at least be willing to try.

Not for a billion dollars!

No, no, no…not I!

In some parts of the world

Tarantulas are a snack.

Could you eat one without

Having a heart attack?

They're roasted on a stick

And eaten with gusto and glee.

That might be something you'd like;

It's NOT my cup of tea.

Tell me: why do spiders

Send shivers down my spine?

Only some are dangerous;

Most of them are benign.

I mean, in CHARLOTTE’S WEB

I have to admit that I cried

When--SPOILER ALERT!--

The poor spider died.

Although in my garden they eat

Flies and other critters,

Despite their usefulness,

They STILL give me the jitters.

Maybe some spider jokes

Would make them less of an irk:

A spider walked into a bar…

No, that doesn't work.

I have to see spiders as simply

Mysterious creatures of nature.

My fears, however, are real

And not about nomenclature.

I can try to stay calm

In the future whenever I meet one.

But I can tell you right now:

I will not HOLD or EAT one!

By Bob B (3-23-15)

To Live Among the Dinosaurs! No, Thanks!

I'm glad that dinosaurs preceded mankind

On Earth by millions and millions of years.

We have enough worries these days

Than to find more reasons to add to our fears.

Imagine walking through the forest

And meeting a Tyrannosaurus Rex!

No, tyrannosaurs were NOT

The ones with the long, slender necks.

The tyrannosaur was a killing machine--

A carnivore, frightening and vicious--

Possessing powerful legs and teeth.

It would find you delightfully delicious!

Raptors, from the Mesozoic Era,

Were also among the most feared of their day.

On each hind foot they had a large claw

For killing and disemboweling their prey.

Small but deadly they were, and what's more:

Their brains were of larger than average size.

A nightly stroll in a raptor area

Is NOT something that I would advise.

The long-necked one was the Brachiosaurus--

Not much smarter than the leaves it ate.

It measured 85 feet long

And weighed 40 tons--a LOT of weight!

You think, How fun to slide down its neck!

If I were you I'd forget that idea.

If, perchance, it stomped on you,

You'd be as flat as a flour tortilla.

The spiked, plated dinosaur

Was the Stegosaurus--a plant-eater, too.

It didn't have a very big brain

And didn't last long. So, what's one to do?

There were thousands of species of dinosaurs.

We're lucky that they exist no more.

You wouldn't want to worry about danger

Every time you walked out your door.

But wait, that's no different from now!

Maybe one difference; let me propound it:

You wouldn't be STEPPING on dinosaur poop,

But you would be making long treks around it.

(3-22-15) By Bob B

Californians, Be Water Wise!

Californians, be water wise!

Any kind of wastefulness must stop.

Since water is such a precious commodity,

Be careful NOT to waste a drop.

Don't hose down your sidewalk or patio;

Water only your plants and lawn.

And don’t water during the heat of the day;

Do it closer to dusk or dawn.

Drought-resistant yards are great

For saving water, and although they may

Be both practical and pretty,

You'll have to go elsewhere to play croquet.

You don’t need to shower every day.

Do not fret or worry about stinking.

So what if we have a little B.O.--

Better that than no water for drinking.

When you shower, keep it short.

Don't stand there and daydream forever.

And whatever you do, don't shave in the shower;

To do so would definitely not be clever.

Replace your appliances that waste too much water

With newer ones that are energy efficient.

How will I ever afford that? you ask.

I don't know; I'm not omniscient.

Now when at home you have to pee,

You don't always need to flush.

But when it’s time to do the other,

Then go ahead. (Am I making you blush?)

Think of more ways to save our water.

Who knows how long this drought will last?

If we're not mindful, our California

Dream will be a thing of the past.

By Bob B (3-19-15)

How Easy for Them!

How easy it is for members of Congress

To perch on their pudgy posteriors and ponder

Ways to cut Social Security benefits

For millions who do not have ONE buck to squander!

How easy it is for privileged lawmakers

To find ways to keep their own futures secure

And to make bold decisions affecting the struggling

Retirees whose future hopes are a blur!

How easy it is for our leaders to ignore

Millions who struggle to make ends meet

And to balance budgets on the backs of the poor!

How often these same sad tunes repeat!

Protecting earned benefits like Social Security

Should be a priority. Spread the word!

To increase the suffering of needy Americans

Is shameful, unconscionable, unethical, and absurd.

By Bob B (3-16-15)

Disturbing Beyond Belief

You thought barbarians no longer existed?

Then think again, for witnesses say

That a man was stoned to death in Jamaica--

Yes, STONED to DEATH because he was gay.

Terrorists in Iraq push men from towers

For the same reason--as a crowd watches!

Such actions bring hopes of human

Love and compassion down a few notches.

Women are stoned for alleged adultery.

People are crucified or burned alive.

Beheadings, too, add to the horror.

Reason and sense have taken a dive.

Regarding the many beliefs in the world,

Those that are founded on ignorance and fear

And prove to be cruel and hateful show us

That we have a real problem here.

Conscientious and reasonable seekers

Who see deep truths earnestly advise

That when we approach the ancient scriptures,

We view them through 21st century eyes.

By Bob B (3-10-15)

Remembering Selma--March 7, 1965

Lest the years erase from our minds

The march in Selma in 1965,

Remembering that march and the struggle for rights

Will help to keep certain memories alive.

While crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge,

Non-violent protesters simply wanting

Equal treatment in the right to vote

Found law enforcement jeering and taunting.

Instead of receiving support and protection,

The marchers were greeted with anger and threats

And bashes with billy clubs and tear gas canisters.

That kind of treatment no one forgets.

Our heroes are those who stand up for rights--

Who face danger and possible jail.

They help lead the way for others

By forging onward and creating the trail.

The voting rights fought for in the past,

In many states are under attack.

Just when we manage to take steps forward,

We always take a few steps back.

In the past fifty years--though much has changed--

True equality for ALL still eludes us.

An all-inclusive America is one

That doesn't EX- but instead includes us.

Had it not been for the heroes of the past--

The ones who courageously paved the way--

One wonders where we would be right now.

But where are the heroes to guide us today?

By Bob B (3-9-15)

No One Has a Monopoly on God

No one has a monopoly on God.

When you hear people say that they do,

Make a dash for it! Don't wait around

For them to impose their merciless coup.

No groups have a monopoly on truth.

Of those who say they "know" be skeptical.

If their "knowledge" can't stand up to questioning,

Their mind isn't more than an empty receptacle.

Terror and fear make desperate converts.

Truth and wisdom transcend petty goals.

Some will try to sell you a bill

Of goods that's full of vagaries and holes.

Beware of those with the gift of gab

Who promise to guide you down a path

Of slick salvation and tempting allurements,

Though one false step incurs God's wrath.

Beware of those who say they know

The mind of God both inside and out

And curse your attempts at inquiry

Or when you express an honest doubt.

No one has the right to judge you

And tell you that you're going to hell.

Watch out for the crazed fanatic

And the sanctimonious ne'r-do-well.

Put everything into perspective.

Love and compassion should be your course.

Belief should be all about choice

And certainly not a product of force.

(3-4-15) By Bob B