Here and Beyond

We humans love to speculate,

And many have contended

That they are certain what happens after

Their current life has ended.

 

Some people think we'll find our reward,

And we'll forever dwell

In paradise, unless we go

The other direction--to hell.

 

Some believe in purgatory--

A type of stop-off station.

In order to proceed we must

Undergo purgation.

 

Some insist that we return

To Earth as another being--

That each person's past lives have

Shaped the person we're seeing.

 

Some might call it consciousness

That undergoes a rebirth.

Others say that heaven and hell

Both exist on Earth.

 

Some trust that our spirit continues

To live in a type of suspension

Until we can be freed from that

Parallel dimension.

 

Some people feel that we will all

Cross to the "other Shore,"

Returning to the essence of what

We were once before.

 

Some conclude that this is it,

So live life while you can,

For we are just a part of Nature's

Vast, infinite plan.

 

We can believe whatever we want.

That's fine, I suppose.

But what happens after this life ends?

Frankly, no one knows.

-by Bob B (9-28-20)

Continue to Weep, America

Continue to weep, America.

Our days of glory appear to have passed.

In the eyes of other countries our once-

Respected status is dwindling fast.

 

Certainly, we were never perfect;

However, despite our many flaws,

At least our former presidents

Cared about us and honored our laws.

 

What has happened, America?

What has gone so horribly wrong?

Was our democratic system

Meant to disintegrate all along?

 

How can democracy be so weak

For a conman to rapidly turn it around

As he destroys our institutions?

Was our foundation so unsound?

 

Look around, America.

"Land of the free" has become a joke.

Our beautiful and "spacious skies"

Are now filled with ashes and smoke.

 

"Sweet land of liberty"? No, no more.

Come to seek asylum and you

Will end up being thrown in a cage

Or turned away with a callous "Adieu!"

 

Look through the lies, America,

That flow down from the one at the top--

From him who demands daily attention

To spread his dangerous agitprop,

 

Which is backed by his cohorts in Congress.

Shame on all of them. Shame! Shame!

They've sacrificed their integrity

To support the One-Whom-We-Mustn't-Name.

 

Perhaps there's hope, America.

Even though the line has been crossed,

Maybe there is a chance that we

Can still regain all that we've lost.

-by Bob B (9-26-20)

RBG

Let's sing a tale of honor and valor,

Of a legal trailblazer who always will be

Etched in our hearts as a fighter for causes

And known as Notorious RBG.

 

Criticized and sharply rebuked

For taking a "man's spot" at Harvard Law,

She had a legal intellect

And a glowing work ethic that left folks in awe.

 

Graduating first in her class

From Columbia Law, she would soon learn

That getting a job wouldn't be easy;

And unequal pay was a major concern.

 

The fearless fighter wouldn't give up.

Bound and determined, she'd do what was right

And struggle for women's equality.

Justice for all was her noble fight.

 

Nobody's put on a pedestal;

Equality means that treatment's the same.

That BOTH men and women have full

Citizenship stature was RBG's aim.

 

Her friendship with Justice Scalia showed

That politics did not have to divide us--

That we can conquer our disagreements

By letting our heart and wisdom guide us.

 

Words are important when sending a message.

That is what RBG took to heart.

In facing personal challenges,

Her inner strength played such a great part.

 

For many years she battled cancer

But never failed to keep up with her work.

Responsibility and duty

Were two things that you didn't shirk.

 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: how we will miss her!

With sadness and heavy hearts we lament.

How we will miss her carefully thought-out

Rulings as well as her words of dissent!

 

She died on the eve of Rosh Hashanah

While folks were in the synagogues praying.

They say that righteous people die then.

With RBG, that goes without saying.

 

Remember this tale of honor and valor,

Of a legal trailblazer who always will be

Etched in our hearts as a fighter for causes:

Supreme Court Justice RBG.

-by Bob B (9-22-20)

 

Moscow Mitch and Lapdog Lindsey

Moscow Mitch and Lapdog Lindsey

Have given up on democracy

And fully embraced their thirst for power,

Governed by their hypocrisy.

 

Power over integrity

Seems to be their guiding drive.

They know that underhanded tactics

Help them keep control and thrive.

 

Lying for them is par for the course.

With the Trump admin that’s paramount.

How many lies has the president told?

For goodness’ sake, we’re losing count.

 

Having altered the rules to quash

Obama's prudent Supreme Court pick,

Moscow Mitch has once again

Changed the rules. It makes one sick!

 

Republicans in Congress now

Mainly sing the same foul song:

"To Hell with the Proper Thing to Do;

Make Up the Rules as You Go Along."

 

Some misguided voters think

McConnell and Graham are on the level.

Those who perceive their repulsive tactics

Say they've sold their souls to the devil.

 

For many people, the damage being done

Will last for who knows how many years,

As Trump's four years as president

Confirm some of their deepest fears.

-by Bob B (9-21-20)

The New Patriotic Ed Plan

DT:

Friends and students, hear my plan

To combat left-wing indoctrination:

I will sign an order demanding

Patriotic education.

 

Ah, such music to my ears!

I would say it sounds hypnotic:

Ignoring the facts to focus on myths…

That's what I call "patriotic."

 

There is no white privilege.

I say Whites are the real oppressed.

I want history books to say

That we have always been the best.

 

The 1619 Project is out.

If faculties don't follow my rules,

They will hear from me, for I'll

Cut off funding to their schools.

 

Racial inequality

Has no place in history books.

To me it's toxic propaganda.

Can't you see how bad it looks?

 

The schools have been cheating our kids.

I think current curricula stink.

Teaching blind allegiance is better

Than teaching children how to think.

 

I want students everywhere

To hear what I call the REAL truth.

And you'll have the privilege of being

Part of the Trump/Hitler Youth.

-by Bob B (9-18-20)

Fear

The president has hammered away

Constantly--year after year--

At major attempts to instill in the people

An overwhelming sense of fear.

Asylum seekers and immigrants

Pose a threat--one that's severe--

And terrorists are swarming across

Our border, he's said, instilling fear.

The free press is our enemy,

He's often said, making it clear

That he thinks he can score more points

By making the people live in fear.

The Democrats are after your guns,

He says whenever he has someone's ear,

Trying to make the people more

Insecure by stoking fear.

You in the suburbs had better beware:

The way of life to which you adhere

Is under attack, he says, as riff-raff

Slowly move in. Once again: fear.

Voter fraud is rampant, he says,

Making a non-issue appear

To be a major problem and hoping

To win again through lies and fear.

The Dems are socialists, he says,

Destroying us. Another smear.

He hopes that he can win more votes

By making up stories and stirring up fear.

His people now say liberals

Are arming themselves as the election draws near

To wreak havoc in case he wins.

Another unjustifiable fear.

Such are the ways of an autocrat.

If we want to be sincere,

That he could win four more years

Should be our REAL cause of fear.

-by Bob B (9-15-20)

Suckers and Losers

 

If you served in the military,

I hope you don't expect to receive

Praise and respect from Donald Trump--

For some, I know it's hard to believe--

 

If your plane's shot down by your foe

And you become a prisoner of war,

Or if you die on the field of battle.

If so, to Trump, you'll be a bore.

 

President Bone Spur much prefers

Soldiers who--and this is his thought--

Come home intact from having served

And those, of course, who never got caught.

 

Visiting a cemetery

To pay respects--to honor the dead--

Is senseless to him, for such a place

Is "filled with losers," the callous man said.

 

"Suckers" and "losers" are what he calls them--

Those who fought and didn't survive.

To him service and sacrifice

Mean nothing unless you stay alive.

 

The man is such a hypocrite!

His comments are truly unprecedented.

Do his heartless words reflect

His cruel nature, or is he demented?

 

-by Bob B (9-4-20)

Adding Fuel to the Fire

 

Social unrest continues to grow.

Demonstrators demand reform.

And speaking out against police

Brutality is becoming the norm.

 

But in the fiery clash of ideas,

Occasionally, violence ensues.

Instead of watching the peaceful protests,

We see the violent scenes on the news.

 

And Trump continues to make false claims.

Instead of helping, he fans the flames.

 

Counter protesters bring their guns

To meet their opponents--face to face--

Ignoring what is the bottom line:

That guns at protests have no place.

 

"This will be Biden's America!"

The president threatens in speeches and tweets.

No, Mr. Trump, this is YOUR

America: chaos on city streets.

 

And Trump's comments cause frustration,

Exacerbating the situation.

 

Trump and his aides respond to the chaos

By trying to stoke the people's fears.

They say the more violence, the better

Trump's chances of winning four more years.

 

Instead of seeking a unifying

Response, the president scarily

Makes us wonder how many more

Will die unnecessarily?

 

The situation grows more dire

As Trump keeps adding fuel to the fire.

 

-by Bob B (9-1-20)