Another Dilemma for Santa

Christmas 2017

Approaches and Santa is checking his list

To make sure that he is on target

And also to see if errors exist.

"Darn!" the jolly man exclaims,

And quickly does a double take.

"It looks as though Republicans

In Congress want a big tax break.

"That is good for some; however,

Others will have to lose out for sure.

The biggest benefits go to the wealthy,

While help for the poor is miniature.

"I mean, the poor and middle class.

Most people should understand it's

Hard for me to justify

Helping a few to make out like bandits.

"Tax cuts for the corporations

Will be permanent, but what's scary

Is tax cuts for most Americans

Will only be temporary.

"They always scream, 'Deficit! Deficit!'

At least that's what they advertise.

By 1.4 trillion dollars

The deficit is going to rise

"With this bill! To make up the difference,

Later they'll cause more despair

By making major cuts to Social

Security and Medicare.

"While some will win, millions will lose

Health care if their tax bill passes.

Regarding trickle down, what trickles

Is negligible and as slow as molasses.

"From all that I have seen and heard,

Tax cuts don't create prosperity.

Don't the members of Congress know

Their bill is lacking in popularity?

"I want their holiday to be happy,

But how can I please everyone?

Darn! Sometimes being Santa

Is really NOT very much fun!"

By Bob B (11-30-17)

Christmastime in Trumplandia--2017

It's Christmastime in Trumplandia.

The halls are decked with boughs of folly,

Ol' Frosty the Snowman is melting,

And sleigh bells are sounding melancholy.

The president has an abundance of hassles:

Ongoing investigations,

Failed attempts at accomplishments,

Embarrassments, and accusations.

He believes his supporting staff

Will help him work out all the kinks

And claims he's the favorite president!

Something is rotten in DC, methinks.

Wondering why he can't wield

More power, he disdains

Anyone who makes an attempt

To open his eyes or pull on his reins.

He'll pick a fight with anyone

Who doesn't give him flattery or praise.

Many devoted staff and supporters

Apparently share the leader's malaise.

Not trusting true experts,

He looks elsewhere for his muse:

At Alex Jones, Hannity,

Or the vicious harpy who haunts Fox News.

He says he hires the best people--

Not!--and knows what's best for the nation.

He's backing a candidate for the Senate

Who's been accused of child molestation.

His organization is raking in dough,

While Trump insists he's breaking no laws.

Why not follow the foreign money?

And what about the emoluments clause?

His favorite world leaders are

Autocrats who aren't so pleasant.

Their mutual butt-kissing will have to

Be their mutual Christmas present.

Santa Trump and his elves in Congress

Are working together in order to dole

Tax breaks out to the wealthiest, while

The rest of us will end up with coal.

Chestnuts won't be roasting on

An open fire this year. No way!

Our winter wonderland's become

A messy winter holiday.

(11-28-17) By Bob B

Grasping

Prancing along a jungle path,

A monkey found a curious box.

Not to investigate the contraption

Would be for him unorthodox.

A number of small holes had been drilled

Into the side of the box, so he

Could see inside to satisfy

His boundless curiosity.

The box contained tempting nut.

If he could only reach inside

And pull it out! How marvelous!

If not, he'd be dissatisfied.

He put his tiny, searching hand

Through a small hole, grabbed the nut,

And tried to pull it through the hole.

The nut was way too big. "What?"

The monkey exclaimed. "It won't fit!"

What was the poor guy to do?

He sat with his hand in the hole for hours,

Frantically trying to pull the nut through.

Soon a trapper came strolling by

And found the monkey next to the trap.

He tossed the monkey--along with some others--

Into a bag and tightened a strap.

Off he went with his catch for the day,

Happy that he had taken great pains

To make good traps so he could supply

The restaurateur with monkey brains.

How much like the monkey are we!

We grasp onto possessions, views,

Our pride, our ego, our sense of self…

And though we suffer, we refuse

To let things go--to gently release

That which ultimately constrains us,

Closes our minds, hardens our hearts,

Blinds our eyes, or firmly enchains us.

(11-25-17) By Bob B

The Thanksgiving Elephant in the Room

Thanksgiving Day was fast approaching,

And family members and friends were cheerful.

At the same time, however, people

Were starting to feel a little bit fearful.

The holiday attendees were split

As to their feelings regarding the POTUS.

If he appeared on the TV screen,

They'd have to pretend to take no notice.

The day arrived and all were together,

Watching football and having fun

Talking about a myriad of topics--

Everything BUT that certain ONE.

The turkey was carved; the dinner was ready.

Every Thanksgiving's a major feat.

Grannie sat at the head of the mile-long

Table and yelled, "Come and eat!"

Food was passed this way and that way;

Mounds appeared on everyone's plate.

They all wanted to savor the food

But found that each new bite couldn't wait.

Suddenly, Grannie blurted out,

"STOP eating! Before you resume,

I'd like to talk about something important,

And that's the elephant in the room."

Aunt Margaret practically choked

While Uncle Bill patted her back.

Cousin Katie gulped and fanned

Herself, feeling the room go black.

The uncomfortable silence lingered.

Uncle Ernie kicked his wife

Under the table. The tension was so

Thick it could be cut with a knife.

"Why is everyone so uptight?”

Asked Grannie. "I'm sure you all agree

That it was time for a change, and so…

That's why I bought an SUV!"

Everyone felt a wave of relief

Pass through his or her body, and then

The sounds of delight filled the room

As everyone started eating again,

Saying such things as "Cool, Grannie!"

"Of course, Mother!" "I know I

Think you deserve whatever you want.

Now let's have some pumpkin pie!"

Thanksgiving Day went just as it should;

Nobody fought; no one was maimed.

We have a wonderful time when we don't

Talk about him who should not be named.

(11-22-17) Bob B

Flattery Might Get You Somewhere*

A crow sat on a tree branch holding

A chunk of cheese in her beak.

On top of the world was she. She thought,

"What a lucky streak!"

On seeing her, a fox decided

To use his expertise

To find a way to take from her

That scrumptious chunk of cheese.

Standing under the tree he said,

"Such a noble bird

Is almost indescribable.

It would be absurd

"To come up with appropriate terms

To celebrate your beauty.

But if I didn't try, I fear

'Twould be a breach of duty.

"So here's my attempt: Noble One,

Never have I seen

A more exquisite sight. Of all

The birds you are the queen!

"I'm trying to imagine how

Much pleasure it would bring

Us all to hear your gorgeous voice.

Noble Lady, sing!"

Flattered by the fox's speech,

The crow let out a caw

And dropped the cheese onto the ground.

The hungry fox cried, "Ha!"

And gobbled up the cheese at once.

"Perhaps your counterparts,

Would concur: you've got a voice,

But what you lack is smarts."

The moral is that flatterers

Will tell you what's untrue;

There might be a winner, but

The winner won't be you.

Those who fall for obsequious praise

Apparently can't detect

The crucial differences between

Flattery and respect.

(11-19-17) By Bob B

*An Aesop fable retold here in verse

The "R" Word

"I'm an Alabamian

And proud to be one, too.

Nobody is going to tell me

What to say or do.

So, when it comes to voting,

I have got one rule:

Since I'm a Republican

And no, I'm no one's fool,

And also since the candidates

All have different aims,

I'll vote only for the ones

With R's next to their names.

"I don't care if you’re a cad;

You will toe the line

If your thoughts on God and guns

Correspond to mine.

You can be knocked off the bench

And thumb your nose at laws.

I don't know what you could do

That would give me pause.

Stealing from your charity?

Even that's fair game.

I will vote for you 'cause there's

An R next to your name.

"I don't care what you have done

In your cloudy past.

I don't care how many accu-

Sations you've amassed.

How you've treated women, well,

That is just your style.

I don't even care if you

Were once a pedophile,

Or if you blasted Muslims or

Transgenders with no shame,

You will get my vote 'cause there's

An R next to your name."

(11-18-17) By Bob B

A Distant Neighbor

A neighboring star in our galaxy,

Only eleven light-years away--

Which really isn't that far if you

Listen to what astronomers say--

Is called Ross 128.

It's a red dwarf--one among many.

You might know about such stars.

Frankly, I hadn’t heard about any.

Red dwarf stars are stars that are

Very similar to that one--

They are smaller in mass, dimmer,

And live much longer than our Sun.

Orbiting Ross 128

Is Ross 128-b,

A planet that resembles Earth--

At least very possibly.

How amazing it is to wonder

When looking across the great expanse

Of the universe, if other forms

Of life exist! What's the chance?

Some astronomers are elated;

Others aren't, for it's not known

If the planet happens to lie

In what we call the habitable zone.

But if it does, and if it has

Intelligent beings, let's hope they're

More intelligent than we are,

Or they haven't got a prayer.

By the way, current technology

Could get you to the planet, but here's

The problem: the trip would take at least

One hundred forty-one thousand years!

(11-17-17) By Bob B

Moore Means Less

Senatorial candidate

Roy Moore has fallen deeper

Into a mess of his own making.

The climb out is growing steeper.

A fifth victim has spoken up,

Accusing him of sexual assault.

Moore said the accusations

Were lies and he was not at fault.

Following the TRUMP PLAYBOOK

FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS, Moore claimed

That all the charges were fake news,

And he remained unashamed.

Strategy two: discredit the accusers,

Or act as though you never knew them.

Strategy three: threaten them.

Announce that you intend to sue them.

Increasingly, politicians

Feel that Moore ought to bow out.

Defiant, the candidate

Hopes his fans remain devout.

How could anyone vote him in

And afterwards feel content?

Oh, wait: despite accusations,

They voted in our president.

A watershed moment is happening here

As people say no and start to get tough.

No more covering up of rampant

Sexual assault. Enough is enough!

(11-14-17) By Bob B

No Moore!

Alabamian Roy Moore,

Known as the 10 Commandments judge,

And whose reputation a conscientious

Person would certainly never begrudge,

Has been accused of child molestation--

Something that happened years ago.

But such incidents often surface

Many years later, as we all know.

For violating judicial ethics,

Twice he's been thrown off the bench.

His need for wearing a mask of morality

Is a thirst that he can't quench.

He's been quoted as having said

That 9/11 and Sandy Hook

Resulted because of God's vengeance.

His madness is hard to overlook.

He allegedly liked young girls.

At least that's what we have been told.

According to a recent report,

One was even fourteen-years-old.

Of course he denies it (of course he would)

And says it's fake news--a nasty plot

To smear his character. He wants us

To think that he is something he's not.

Alabamian voters, they say,

Will likely still vote for Moore,

And probably would even if

The man had accusations galore.

He speaks into his mic while standing

Before his fans in a cowboy hat.

They would prefer a pedophile

To--heaven forbid--a Democrat!

(11-11-17) By Bob B

EPA No Longer

Environmental Protection Agency,

It's sad to see your cruel fate,

Brought about by someone who

Wants to make this country "great."

Since Donald Trump has been in office,

You are being obliterated

By the very industries

That you should have regulated.

Environmental regulations

Have been rolled back to such a degree

That consequences will be titanic,

And that is not hyperbole.

Lifting regulations to keep

Coal waste out of waterways

Is an unconscionable act,

Deserving of censure instead of praise.

Concerned voices of climate change

Researchers have been muted,

Even though among the majority

The phenomenon is undisputed.

Direct results from climate change

Are costing billions of dollars already

And add to making living conditions

On Earth all the more unsteady.

Your old title, EPA,

Has been replaced. Let us proclaim:

Environmental DESTRUCTION Agency

Is now a more appropriate name.

(11-9-17) By Bob B

Pretend

(A song-monologue on the first

anniversary of an election)

"Pretend that you care

Even if you don't.

Say you'll come through,

Even if you won't.

Surround yourself

With lackeys who will kiss

Your billionaire ass

Or else they'd be remiss.

"Pretend that you

Are richer than you are.

Keep on doing

What's gotten you this far.

Seek out help

From those who can provide

Ways to gather

Assets you can hide.

"Pretend religion

Means a lot to you.

Keep admirers

In your field of view.

They'll forgive you,

Even when you're rude.

They won't see

That they are being screwed.

"Pretend your knowledge

Of history is vast.

Tell people your

Skills are unsurpassed.

If you remain

Stubborn and opaque,

Your fans will not

See that you're a fake.

"Pretend that your country--

Ever since your youth--

Has meant more than money,

Though that's not the truth.

Divisiveness

Works like a charm.

Lying won't

Do any harm.

"Pretend you're loyal.

Loyalty is grand--

At least until

Inquiries expand.

If your cronies

Ever cause a fuss,

You can throw them

Under the bus.

"Pretend that you

Are stronger than you feel.

Just keep on

Polishing your spiel.

Continue to threaten

To silence the news.

You as the leader

Can do as you choose.

"Pretend…

Just pretend…

Just pretend."

(11-8-17) By Bob B

26 Dead; 20 Wounded

Another mass shooting has

Caused the deaths of twenty-six people.

This time the atrocity

Occurred under a church's steeple--

Not in a major city, but

In a small Texan community,

Showing that death from firearms here

Is an equal opportunity.

If four or more people shot

Or killed at a certain time and place

Defines mass shootings, then here they are

Happening at an alarming pace.

Three hundred seven mass shootings

Have taken place so far this year,

According to one report.

One thing's definitely clear:

Gun violence is out of control.

Acknowledging that is how one starts

To deal with a scary situation

That people think is off the charts.

When some want to discuss the matter,

There goes an altercation

As others accuse them of trying to

Politicize a situation--

Politicize a tragedy.

But frankly, when all is said and done,

Like it or not, the issue of gun

Violence IS a political one!

It would help if our leadership

Would deal with the problem directly and not

Placate donors and lobbyists

Whose self-serving baloney they've bought.

All countries have mental health

Problems; we’re not the only ones,

Says the president. And so the problem

Is mental illness and NOT guns.

In all countries, mental health

Issues exist. No disputing.

But other countries do not have

The problem of shooting after shooting.

Thoughts and prayers for all affected

Certainly have a role to play.

But the bigger issue is something

That can't be simply prayed away.

(11-6-17) By Bob B

Halloween Week 2017

This past Halloween week

In Washington was eerie.

For some in particular

The atmosphere was dreary.

Dressed up in their holiday best--

Though feeling somewhat slighted--

Manafort and protégé Gates

Both were indicted.

George Papadopoulos caused

Jitters and frustration

As proactive collaborator

In Mueller's investigation.

John Kelly's reputation

Has really started to slump

Since he's donned the costume of

A puppet of Donald Trump.

Kelly said--and this caused people

To gasp and roll their eyes--

The Civil War was caused by

A failure to compromise.

Compromise on slavery?

Tell me how that's done?

Instead of having forty-two slaves,

You get twenty-one?

Jeff Sessions’ costume made

The beholder have to guess

Whether it was perjury

Or handy forgetfulness. 

Trump presented himself as a man

Whose memory is the best--

At least until reporters put

His memory to a test.

He laments that he can't do

What he wants, and that

Means not being president but

A powerful autocrat.

Republicans in Congress, dressed

As scary goblins and ghouls,

Put forth a tax plan, which

Changes many rules.

If you carefully look at their draft

And see through their pitch,

You will see their plan basically

Favors the very rich.

Halloween was far from being

Bland or ordinary.

One could argue that this year

It was downright scary.

(11-4-17) By Bob B

Stubborn Longings

So often we hear "Live the moment!"

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,"

"You may delay, but time will not,"

And "Carpe diem!" or "Seize the day!"

Ah, such reminders cajole us,

Tease us, nudge us, make us reflect.

Alas, the wise admonitions

Always seem wiser in retrospect.

Flowers wilt; snows melt;

Mountains crumble by and by;

The universe is constantly changing:

Stars are born, while others die.

Acknowledging that everything passes

And changes, deep inside we hold fast

To stubborn longings of permanence--

To vain hopes that all will last.

(11-2-17) By Bob B