A Tangled Web All Right!

Vladimir Putin had nothing to do

With THIS poem. Let me be clear.

(Nowadays it's hard to tell

How much the Russians interfere.)

Oh, of course, he could assign

An Internet troll to try to denounce me--

To criticize my rhythm and rhyme,

To shame, condemn, or verbally trounce me.

But Putin, alas, has many more

Important matters to address--

How to influence American elections

And cause confusion, more or less.

Long ago many Americans

Were troubled by the "Red Scare."

Now they welcome with open arms

This autocratic billionaire

Who stifles dissent, stomps on rights,

And benefits from corruption as well.

How many opponents has Putin

Disappeared? Hard to tell.

How people see the things they see

Is strangely and fearfully odd--

How they perceive a leader's illusion
And miss the monster behind the façade.

As more experts connect the dots,

They are wondering what protections

Can be implemented to stop

Outside meddling in future elections.

To quote Sir Walter Scott, "Oh,

What a tangled web we weave…."

How much more interference

Does Putin have up his sleeve?

(10-10-17) By Bob B