How Serious?

While Trump says that Clinton is ill,

His own record comes up short.

So far he's produced only

A poorly written doctor's report.

But think about Trump's poor judgment,

Frequent trouble with comprehension,

Changeable moods, paranoia,

Irritability, lack of attention,

Erratic behavior, problems in speech

(For example, he meant to say "cities"

In a speech at a rally somewhere,

But what came out of his mouth was "titties"),

Agitation, loss of patience,

Definite loss of self-control:

Possible signs of ALZHEIMER'S!

We keep watching the symptoms unroll.

For many months we've seen him rant;

Now he's trying to show some tact.

But given his odd behavior to date,

How long can he keep up the act?

(8-30-16) By Bob B

Too Funny

Now THIS is priceless! Think how often

We have heard Donald Trump claim

That if he loses the election this fall,

Voter fraud will be to blame.

Now we hear that campaign chief

Steve Bannon, the Breitbart exec,

Allegedly broke Florida law.

I'd let it go, but what the heck!

Bannon has often ranted and raved

About minorities cheating at the polls.

Now we find that Bannon's own

Credibility is full of holes.

He is registered to vote in Florida

In a vacant house. He doesn't reside there.

That's illegal in the Sunshine State.

Does that mean that someone has lied there?

Hypocrisy, hypocrisy!

This time about voter fraud

And two characters made for each other:

Trump and Bannon, two peas in a pod.

(8-27-16) By Bob B

Split Personality

How many members of his campaign team

Has Trump managed to hire and fire?

He's had to take some desperate measures

Now that it's getting down to the wire.

Since his campaign was looking grim,

The unpredictable, fiery loose cannon

Brought on expert Kellyanne Conway

And alt-right provocateur Steve Bannon.

Kellyanne Conway should be an asset--

A pleasant voice of reason and calm.

She offers a wildly scattered campaign

A unifying, healing balm.

Tied to a white nationalist movement,

Steve Bannon, on the other hand,

Brings to the team continued hateful

Rhetoric of an extremist brand.

Trump required a softer aspect,

But why did he feel so inclined

To hire a man with white supremacist

Leanings? Has he lost his mind?

So now Trump will soften his approach

And then show his Breitbart side.

One moment we'll see Dr. Jekyll,

The next moment Mr. Hyde.

(8-26-16) By Bob B

Unlimited Growth on a Finite Planet

Fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes--

Nature can be quite…demanding.

We're just a speck in the grand scheme;

At least that's my understanding.

Our relationship with nature

Should be one of respect and awe.

But in the guise of progress we've found

That mankind has a fatal flaw:

Our love affair with material things.

You wonder: That can't hurt, can it?

Ah, but just think about

Unlimited growth on a finite planet.

From caves to computers, we've come a long way.

But some resources are irreplaceable.

When they're depleted, their loss will leave

A mark behind that's unerasable.

  

Population times consumption--

It's really just a simple equation--

Equals environmental impact,

And NOT merely on occasion.

Constant growth of both the economy

And population smacks of futility

And gives our world a recipe for

A bleak unsustainability.

As we add to our atmosphere

Carbon dioxide and methane gas

And destroy what it takes to sustain us,

Who knows what will come to pass?

Our world is such an incredible place!

I hate being the prophet of doom,

But let's not ignore reality:

There's only so much for us to consume.

Reasonable consumption now:

Is there such a thing as that?

If so, let's investigate

Our options, jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!

Avoiding economic collapse,

Putting less stress on possessions,

And controlling population growth

Mean sacrifice, or making concessions.

Think about our children’s future.

Think what we’re doing? Think what we’ve done?

Why would we turn this beautiful planet

Into an uninhabitable one?

 (8-25-16) By Bob B

The Blame and Frame Game

Republican leaders are desperate to find

Any evidence that might encroach

On Clinton's chances to win the presidency

With their charge-her-for-anything approach.

When they discovered her e-mail use

Was something they couldn't criminalize,

They said, "Aha! We'll catch her for perjury.

Let's see. What can we devise?"

Taking statements from the FBI

And Hillary Clinton's testimony,

They've slyly manipulated the words

And come up with a bunch of baloney.

How many servers did she have?

Were e-mails really classified?

Did her attorneys review ALL

Her messages? And what did they hide?

The if's and what's and where's and when's

Are being distorted in efforts to blame her.

Statements are being twisted so they

Can make bogus charges to frame her.

Trump, who displays trouble with the truth

And who has rallied his people with ease

With accusations and innuendoes

That spread like a contagious disease,

Has disseminated the lie

That Hillary Clinton is seriously ill

And not fit for the presidency,

While his numbers slide downhill.

Donald Trump of all people

Declares Hillary Clinton unfit!

When he…no, don't get me started

On that disgusting hypocrite!

Politics is a nasty business

When people are easily manipulated

And wisdom and truth and honor and decency

Sadly become overrated.

(8-23-16) By Bob B

If Your Birth Sign Is Virgo...

Idealistic might describe you.

In what you do, you excel.

But if your idealism gets out of hand,

Bid accomplishments farewell.

If you are idle and unproductive,

You might not have any objection

To blaming all your laziness on

Your failure to achieve perfection.

You tend to be shy and not seek glory

And prefer to let others receive attention

While you work in the background, which gives

Your character an added dimension.

Though you respond to the needs of others,

Be aware of the adjuration

To always be on guard, for you

Are vulnerable to exploitation.

You make an excellent critic and want

To improve the world--to help and protect.

But you can also act the martyr

If things don't go the way you expect.

You find communication important

And can be talkative, or chatty.

But don't be overcritical

Or fussy, or you'll start to sound catty.

You're a practical person and you're

Inclined to move with a measured pace.

Not to attempt to perfect whatever

Skills you have would be a disgrace.

Routine is not a problem for you.

If your efforts are justified,

You can endure endless details

And complete your tasks with marvelous pride.

Health conscious also describes you.

Though sometimes you can worry a lot,

You're NOT easily discouraged, and so

Give your priorities all that you've got.

You're always busy and occupied

With projects, but don't go overboard.

For you, things of a practical

And helpful nature strike a chord.

Your analytical skills are amazing.

So is your love for books and learning.

Irresponsibility

And sloppiness can be concerning.

You'd be great in the medical field,

In social work, or in teaching.

Stick with the "real world"

And your efforts will be far-reaching.

(8-21-16) By Bob B

Stand Up!

Stand up for freedom--

For the right of self-expression.

Speak out against tyranny,

Cruelty and aggression.

Stand up for tolerance,

Acceptance and good will.

Embrace understanding,

So bigotry comes to nil.

Stand up for unity--

For oneness, not separation.

Let inclusiveness

Strengthen our foundation.

Stand up for equality--

For the promise of equal rights.

Keep mutual respect

Clearly in our sights.

Stand up for action

To save the human race.

Unite with others to make

The world a better place.

Stand up for giving--

For generosity and sharing.

Let your noble heart

Be ruled by compassion and caring.

Stand up for justice--

For fair treatment of all.

Let sound decisions

Be our protocol.

Stand up for peace--

For amicable contributions.

Celebrate diplomacy

And nonviolent solutions.

Stand up for love.

Let it resonate

Throughout the world, and let

The tides of hatred abate.

(8-19-16) By Bob B

Crackpots and Conspiracy Theories

Crackpots and conspiracy theories

Give the news a certain pizzazz.

Though there's not any credibility,

There's a lot of razzmatazz.

Trump, to further his nativist cause,

Has added Stephan Bannon to his team--

Bannon, that is, of Breitbart fame--

To help a campaign that's losing steam.

Trump's logic defies understanding.

To appeal to voters, he embraces

A propagator of conspiracy theories

To encourage and strengthen whatever his base is!

If that isn't bad enough,

He's also brought in Roger Ailes,

Recently fired from Fox News--

A place where innuendo prevails.

Trump's decisions aren't the wisest.

Why in the world does he think it will pay

To make a campaign even MORE divisive

Than the one that's already underway?

The man wants African-American votes,

So what the clueless candidate does

Is speak in a town that's ninety-five

Percent white! Just because.

Charles Sykes says that Trump's

Campaign is in its "hospice phase."

Frankly, it seems that all along

It's suffered from a general malaise.

Crackpots and conspiracy theories:

It's amazing how they abound.

As Trump rallies more alt-right fanatics,

Madness, my friends, is gaining ground.

(8-18-16) By Bob B

Sixty-seven

Whew! I made it to sixty-seven.

I'm feeling lucky to still be alive.

I hope to keep the momentum going

By keeping my gears in overdrive.

Never is my day too long;

It's never a chore to have to get through it.

The problem is there's so much to do

But never enough time to do it!

Sure the body might experience

Here an ache, there a pain.

But reading in four languages

Helps me to exercise my brain.

Today might be a book "auf Deutsch."

Next week a book in "español."

After a book in "italiano,"

A book in English would be my goal.

People, hobbies, baking, music,

Chores, writing, and exercises--

And don't forget medical appointments…

You can see what a day comprises.

I've learned that keeping up with everything--

Movies, events, politics, the news--

Is too much to handle unless I am able

To narrow my focus--to pick and choose.

Family and friends are extremely important!

If I get a wish, it will be

That I could be as thoughtful to them

As all of them are to me.

When my time is up, I'll try

To exit gracefully. Even so,

I'm not ready to call it quits;

There's more to do before I go.

(8-15-16) By Bob B

That's Mom

Born in a South Dakotan town,

My mom loved her Midwestern roots.

But after moving out West she never

Again put on her warm winter boots.

One thing you didn't want to do

Was cross my mother; that wasn't wise.

Get in her way or treat her rudely,

And watch out! Her temper would rise.

Pity the poor salesclerk who got

Snippy with Mom if Mom asked a question.

The salesclerk would have been told where to go,

And not with a mild, friendly suggestion.

Don't get me wrong; Mom was also

Kind and thoughtful and easygoing.

But she hated to be interrupted

When cooking, crafting, knitting, or sewing.

You learned how to stay out of her way--

Little tricks for surviving.

I was afraid that one day she'd end up

In jail for road rage when she was driving.

If someone pushed her very last button,

A litany of colorful words might gush

From out of her mouth--words that could

Even make a sailor blush.

But Mom loved doing things for others.

In fact, that was her main concern.

For family, relatives, friends, and neighbors,

She always wanted to do a good turn.

Watching her kids and grandkids at Christmas

Open their gifts was her greatest pleasure.

Her thoughtfulness and generosity

Definitely exceeded all measure.

She could become obsessed about things.

When she got an idea in her head,

You knew she'd eventually make it happen,

No matter what the rest of us said.

She often had to convince my dad

That it was time for something new.

One day she found a house on a hill,

And so they moved to that house with a view.

Then she became obsessed with travel

And persuaded my dad to buy an RV.

I don't know how many they wound up

Buying and selling; I think at least three.

We often ask ourselves what would have happened

If she had gone to the ER that night.

We catch the flu; then we get well.

That's what always happens, right?

Not in Mom's case. As it turned out,

Her stubbornness was her undoing.

If we do not open our eyes,

We can't see storm clouds brewing.

I see aspects of Mom in me

In how I sometimes think and behave,

In how my neuroses express themselves,

In what I like, in what I crave.

In situations, I often wonder

What Mom would have said or done.

I might not do what comes to mind,

But thinking about it is always fun.

(8-13-16) By Bob B

My Father's Life Ended Twice

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 balls.

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.

(8-12-16) By Bob B

D.T. Did It Again!

We keep wondering when Trump will hit

Rock bottom--an all-time low.

Recently, the man showed us

How low he could go.

Speaking to North Carolinians,

He repeated his lie

That Hillary Clinton wants to abolish

The Second Amendment. Now why

Does he continue to spread that false,

Pernicious and ludicrous tale?

The very next thing he said, however,

Was clearly beyond the pale:

If Clinton and "her" judges abolish

Rights that are guaranteed

In the Second Amendment of the Constitution,

There is a fix indeed.

"Second Amendment people" could solve

The problem, he said while gloating,

And obviously, he wasn't implying

That they could do it by voting!

So Trump again opened his mouth

And he had people wincing.

He argued that we misunderstood him;

His argument wasn't convincing.

He's incited violence before,

But this time takes the cake.

So much of what he says leaves

Destruction in its wake.

If he was just rambling as usual

Or thinking aloud that day,

Then what came out of his mouth was
A stupid thing to say!

If Trump doesn't mean what he says

Or say what he means,

Then everything he says doesn't

Amount to a hill of beans.

(8-10-16) By Bob B

Jeanine (1949-2016)

One year that we'll always remember
Will be the year 2016

When a candle went out in our lives:

The year we lost our beloved Jeanine.

Her laughter was contagious and charming;

Her energy was like a dose of caffeine.

With uncontainable effervescence,

She ruled our hearts--our beloved Jeanine.

In our lives a powerful presence--

Our homecoming princess, though not our queen--

With radiant beauty and a heart of gold,

That was our beloved Jeanine.

She was a guiding light, a beacon

Of love; there couldn't have been a mean

Bone in her body. That's how we

Remember our beloved Jeanine.

Life was good and life was tough

And it took some turns that were unforeseen,

Testing the strength and challenging

The spirit of our beloved Jeanine.

Just as autumn and winter must turn

The leaves on the trees to brown from green,

Death paid a call and carried away

Our illustrious, beloved Jeanine.

Jeanine's ashes soon will be scattered

Along with those of her sister Maureen.

The loving arms of eternity

Will gently embrace our beloved Jeanine.

(8-9-16) By Bob B

*Jeanine Coffey, high school classmate and inspiration

If Your Birth Sign Is Leo...

Tenacious! That is a word that describes you.

Ambitious, determined to succeed.

Willing to offer a helping hand

To anybody who is in need.

But be aware: you must determine

What people's needs really are.

Otherwise, your deeds are duds

And despite your efforts, you won't get far.

Wounded pride is harder for you

Than suffering from a broken heart.

And being wrong and being laughed at

Are two things that tear you apart.

You're a natural entertainer--

Sociable, with a good attitude.

You also have a tendency

To become addicted to very rich food.

You help others believe in themselves.

You also inspire the affection of friends.

Confirming your individuality

Can be a good thing; but that depends:

If you turn your ego inward,

You'll make a sudden turnabout.

Then you'll become stubborn and lazy

And try to take the easy way out.

You'll tend to want to have the last word,

To exaggerate, to overreact.

You'll make a mountain out of a molehill

And cause distress from a loss of tact.

Calling attention to yourself,

You will feast on flattery and praise.

So know who you are, and constantly seek

To improve yourself in multiple ways.

Discipline your enthusiasm.

Let your charming nature shine.

Involve yourself, but learn restraint;

Know where to draw the line.

Be a leader--an everyday hero.

Take criticism well.

Enjoy life and all its pleasures,

But heed the inner warning bell.

The Leo person is said to have

A powerful personality

And is very good at turning

Ideas into reality.

So in a nutshell, that's our Leo,

Depending on many factors, of course:

Planets, houses, and rising signs.

The Leo can be a tour de force.

(8-16-16) By Bob B

It Gets Crazier Day by Day

What we have known for a long, long time

More people are starting to see:

Trump is a disastrous choice

For the presidential nominee.

Even more Republican leaders

Question his presidential run

As they watch the man fall apart

And ask, "What the hell have we done?"

Pundits admit that Trump's popularity

Is inexplicable and unprecedented.

But more people are asking whether

The real estate mogul is slightly demented.

He swears he's seen certain events

That never happened. It's mystifying!

Does he truly believe his made-up

Stories or is he simply lying?

He complains about Hillary Clinton

And the problem that she has with trust.

HIS record at telling the truth

Leaves Clinton's record in the dust!

Now he's saying that Clinton tried

To rig the presidential debates.

The truth: Last September a bi-

Partisan team selected the dates.

But will he listen? No, he's stuck

In a fantasyland of gossip and tales.

Every time he speaks you'll find

Republican candidates biting their nails.

Recently the polls have shown

That Clinton's gotten a bit of a boost

While Trump keeps spinning out of control:

The chickens are coming home to roost.

And try to picture Trump having

Access to America's nuclear codes.

The consequences are much too dire.

I hate to imagine what that forebodes.

And, oh, if he loses the election,

Trump has an explanation

As to the reason: a rigged system.

(And not because he's an aberration.)

I struggle to find his positive traits.

Though personally I don't know him,

From what I've seen and heard I wouldn't

Trust him as far as I could throw him.

(8-5-16) By Bob B

PC

It's very disturbing to hear people say
That they whole-heartedly object

To being forced to weigh their words

And having to be politically correct.

Forgetting the crassness of earlier times,

They want to return to the careless days

When Jews were called horrible things;

When blacks weren't "blacks" and gays weren't "gays";

When Native Americans were called "redskins";

When despicable names were given to our foes,

And children were taught horribly racist

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moes."

People didn't "cheat" you, they "gyped" you;

The Irish and Italians were both called names;

"Eskimo" was a generalized term;

Men referred to women as "dames."

Mute people were "dumb" back then;

Latinos and Asians were called names, too.

It seems that derogatory words

Were seldom if ever considered taboo.

Will decency and respect both

Be tossed out the window? Please say no.

We can't return to the ignorant days

Of racist jokes and slurs and Jim Crow.

Being a considerate human means

Sometimes bearing a heavy load.

Our lack of sensitivity

Can lead us down a dangerous road.

(8-4-16) By Bob B

Maybe He Wouldn't Be So Bad

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he only thought before he spoke;

If any criticism didn't

Make him lash out in words that provoke.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he knew how to control himself;

If he weren’t so totally narcissistic

And didn't always extol himself.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he weren't always on the attack;

If he didn't stir up anger in people

And act like a puerile maniac.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he didn't stoop to denigrate

The Muslim parents of a fallen soldier;

If he only kept his stories straight.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he hadn't praised Saddam Hussein

And Vladimir Putin and other tyrants;

If he knew the facts about Ukraine.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he didn’t make racist remarks;

If he'd be upfront about his taxes;

If he didn't feed us to the sharks.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

And more women would like the man

If he didn't call them "pigs" and "dogs"

And pull his words from the garbage can.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he had a clear sense of reality;

If his promise for running the country didn't

Reflect incompetence in its totality.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he didn't complain about outsourcing work

While hiring foreign workers himself

And justifying it with a smirk.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad

If he didn't frightfully alienate

People all around the world

Who fear what he could perpetrate.

Maybe he wouldn't be so bad.

The idea might possibly be in our thoughts.

But can a tiger change its stripes?

Can a leopard change its spots?

(8-2-16) By Bob B