Thankful

I ran into Tom Turkey this morning

As he was leaving a bar.

"Starting early?" I asked as I

Stopped and got out of my car.

 

"Yes," he said, "I'm drowning my sorrows--

More than just a tad.

Many have lost their loved ones lately.

That's why I'm so sad.

 

"After the recent mass shootings,

How are people able

To sit down and be thankful this year

At their Thanksgiving table?

 

"Some are going to mourn as they

Sit next to empty chairs

And ask one another plaintively

If anybody cares."

 

"I know what you mean," I said, "for I

Wonder the very same thing.

Deaths by shootings in this country

Seem to be in full swing."

 

"I guess," Tom mused, "that people will be

Thankful for what they've got.

Moreover, they will probably be

Thankful that they weren't shot."

 

"Maybe, " I said, "people could be

Thankful that we have the means

To stop all these atrocities

And end these horrible scenes.

 

"But that won't happen unless we act.

Certainly that is key.

People who care about this country

Probably will agree.

 

"And then you've got Putin's war

Devastating Ukraine!"

"Don't get me started on THAT!" he cried,

"You're piling pain upon pain!"

 

"Gotta go now," he said, as he walked

Away with a wobbly gait,

And added, "I'm thankful that I did NOT

End up on a Thanksgiving plate."

-by Bob B (11-24-22)

Terror in Colorado Springs

Saturday night, November 19:

A gunman entered a bar

And started shooting at those who were present,

Leaving a somber scar

 

On many lives, for five were killed;

Their lives can't be replaced.

Such a shooter lives with hatred

And anger interlaced.

 

Nineteen others were injured there.

Their lives will never be

The same again, for they'll live with

That dreadful memory.

 

The patrons used to consider the club

A place where they could feel

Safe and secure with being themselves--

A place where they could be real.

 

No longer will that be the case.

The LGBTQ

Community has once again

Seen malice flourish anew.

 

Vicious words and violent speech

Have gotten out of hand,

And people lose their humanity when

The fires of rancor are fanned.

 

Hatred comes in many forms

And leaves a nasty smirch

On all of us, and sadly it

Is often taught in church.

-by Bob B (11-22-22)

Birth

A massive field of energy

With quantum fluctuations:

That is how it all began,

From all indications.

 

And then the Big Bang came about,

Giving birth to us,

And energy became transformed

Into matter. Thus,

 

We are beings who go way back

Into a distant past.

Over 13 billion years--

Before the die was cast.

 

Within that scheme, planet Earth

Is relatively young,

And many of the scientists'

Songs remain unsung.

 

No one knows for certain why

It all was orchestrated.

We ALL seem quite unique, and yet

We're ALL somewhat related.

 

Billions of years, collapsing stars:

So difficult to grasp.

The vastness of the universe

Makes us stop and gasp.

-by Bob B (11-20-22)

Nice Try!

Mr. Trump, for many years

We've watched you disregard the rules.

But tell us: what do you take us for--

A groveling, ignorant bunch of fools?

 

Making an early campaign announcement

For you, of course, is apropos,

And surely it is a way for you

To rake in tons and tons of dough.

 

You love the spotlight. Yes, you do.

But, frankly, that should give you pause,

For don't you realize that what

The spotlight does is point out your flaws?

 

Because of your lies, the nonsense you spout,

And your general lack of humility,

People see you less as a help

And more as a threat or liability.

 

We know that you have always carried

A hey!-it's-all-about-ME card,

But running for president doesn't give you

A get-out-of-jail-FREE card.

 

Investigations will still go on

Despite your bold but feeble attempt

To skirt the laws from which no one--

Not even YOU--should be exempt.

 

You and your cohorts, such as Bannon,

Will take your donors for a ride.

All we can say is, "Nice try, Trump.

Good luck finding a place to hide."

-by Bob B (11-16-22)