Mug Shot

(The following poem could be sung to the melody of Kander and Ebbs' "Meeskite," from the stage production of CABARET. If you don't know the melody, go to YouTube and search for "Meeskite Cabaret" and you can listen to it.)

 

Mug shot, mug shot…

Trump seems proud that now he has a

Mug shot, mug shot.

I would not be proud if I were he;

But that's so like him.

Will there be damage?

The chance is slim.

Mug shot, mug shot…

Look at it; you'll see it's quite a

Mug shot, mug shot--

Such a scowl and such a look of

Evil and sheer disdain.

He hopes it helps his campaign.

 

He has four indictments.

Surely, he knows his plate is full,

And when people mention it, he will reply,

"It's BULL!"

He just doesn't get it.

He feels he should be above the law.

His corrupt acts have caught up with him.

Now watch him squirm. Hurrah!

 

Mug shot, mug shot…

I have seldom seen a viler

Mug shot, mug shot.

He knows that his base will love it.

He thinks it is deluxe,

For he will rake in the MAGAbucks!

 

Mug shot, mug shot…

Former presidents who have a

Mug shot, mug shot,

Simply don't exist, for Trump

Has turned out to be the first.

For vengeance Trump now has thirst.

 

Some of us wonder:

In all his trials how will he fare?

His major worry is who's going to do…

His hair!

Still he's complaining,

Trying to turn his base against

The prosecutors and judges, too,

Pretending he's incensed.

 

Mug shot, mug shot…

Trump has an unprecedented

Mug shot, mug shot.

What will happen if he

Is convicted on many counts?

We'll have to watch as the pressure mounts.

Mug shot, mug shot…

I hope that I never have a

Mug shot, mug shot.

Who would want one that would make you

Look like an evil grump?

Only someone like Trump!

-by Bob B (8-27-23)

Murder in the Mountains

In Cedar Glen, California,

A woman owned a clothing store.

The woman, Lauri Carleton, flew

A rainbow flag outside the door.

 

Someone took exception to that--

A hate-filled man, a dunderhead--

Who after making disparaging

Remarks, shot the woman dead.

 

Always valuing justice and love,

She welcomed the opportunity

To share that love with all and was

A pillar of the community.

 

She wanted a place that was safe for folks.

That was her dream; that was her plan.

Sadly, her hopes were cut short by

A vile, loathsome excuse for a man.

 

In an encounter with deputies,

The suspect was shot and killed. But why

Did such a lovely person as Lauri--

A mom with nine children--have to die?

 

Her husband and children now are grieving.

My heart goes out to each of them.

Certainly, they'll remember her as

A loving soul, a precious gem.

-by Bob B (8-20-21)

My Passion

My grandfather used to think

That reading wasn't doing.

Keeping busy with projects was

The path that's worth pursuing.

 

For him, reading was what he did

When all his work was done.

At that point he could sit and relax

And have a little fun.

 

I, however, feel that reading

And doing are one and the same.

I can read for hours and hours

And not feel an ounce of shame.

 

Reading exercises the brain

And is an active pursuit.

One could hope the activity

Would open the mind to boot.

 

True, sometimes I read too much--

Maybe more than I should--

And chores end up on the back burner.

That's not always good.

 

But I cannot imagine a world

Without reading and books.

And Grandfather's no longer around

To give me dirty looks.

-by Bob B (8-19-23)

The Parable of the Precious Jewel

A man who lived in a small town

Was having trouble earning his keep.

He went to visit a friend. They dined.

Then he got drunk and fell asleep.

 

The next morning the friend went away

On business and left behind a note.

However, before he left he'd sewn

A precious jewel inside the man's coat.

 

When the man awoke, he ate

Some breakfast, dressed, and then departed.

He had NO idea that

His friend had been so giant-hearted.

 

Leaving the town, the man went looking

For work, which was a struggle for him.

He took on any job he could,

Even risking life and limb.

 

After a number of long, hard years

Of toil, he happened to run into

His friend who was in town on business--

The friend who was so well-to-do.

 

On seeing him, the friend was aghast

And asked why he was working so hard.

He noticed the man's frail form,

His sunburnt face, his arms so scarred.

 

"When I saw you last, I sewed

Inside your coat a precious jewel,"

He said. "If you had discovered it,

You wouldn't have had to work like a mule.

 

"Here you have been slaving away

Unnecessarily.

Go find the jewel and wisely sell it.

The money will surely set you free."

 

Ah, at times we’re unaware

Of hidden gifts that we possess--

Gifts that can truly change our lives

And greatly affect our happiness.

-by Bob B (8-17-23)

°From Chapter 8 of the LOTUS SUTRA

The Parable of the Burning House*

A wealthy merchant lived in a house,

No, in a mansion on many acres.

He had scores of servants to help him,

Along with drivers, butlers, and bakers.

 

The mansion itself wasn't the safest

Place in which to live, for it

Had dangers lurking about, and many

Would say that to live in, it was unfit.

 

The building had only ONE entrance,

Which meant that people could be in a scrape

In case an emergency arose

And all the occupants had to escape.

 

One day indeed a fire broke out.

The wealthy merchant was petrified.

Although his staff all left the building,

His children continued to play inside.

 

"Children, run out quickly!" he yelled.

"You'll die if you don't listen to me."

Ignoring him, his children kept playing,

What would it take for them to flee?

 

Then the father had an idea,

Even though it wasn't true.

"Children, leave the house right now.

I have some carts that are waiting for you.

 

"Some are pulled by goats, while some

Are pulled by deer or oxen," he said.

"Stop playing inside. Come out

And play with these gorgeous carts instead."

 

The children, excited, pushed their way

Out of the house, escaping the fire.

Outside, the promised carts were not

To be seen. So, was the father a liar?

 

In the meantime, the father was having

The most incredible carts created

Ever seen by anyone.

The eager kids stood by and waited.

 

Beautiful beyond belief,

The carts were covered with gems and flowers.

Pure white oxen pulled them around.

The kids delighted in them for hours.

 

If the father hadn't thought fast,

The fate of his children could have been grim.

The gift he gave them exceeded his promise.

Their safety was what was important to him.

 

Our great house is burning, too.

If benefits of leaving seem small,

By heeding the words of the experts, we'll find

A greater gift awaiting us all.

-by Bob B (8-16-23)

*From THE LOTUS SUTRA

Shut Him Up!

Trump keeps talking and talking and talking,

Hoping his statements will serve as a tool--

A self-fulfilling prophecy--

To tamper with the jury pool.

 

He's also trying to stir up his base.

He thinks he'll get away with whatever

He says to discredit our courts, our system.

Let's hope he's being more foolish than clever.

 

His campaign trail is going to be crazy

With detours to visit court after court.

One would think he would be more careful,

But keeping quiet is not his forte.

 

Trump can bully, berate, and disparage

Others, yet when he is criticized,

He plays the poor, innocent victim

Who doesn't deserve to be so despised.

 

The judge has got to put a stop

To all his nonsense. What will it take?

A sock? A muzzle? Some time in jail?

How to subdue a venomous snake….

 

He will NOT stop talking, he says.

You'd think he'd be on a slippery slope.

Will it all come back to bite him?

Let's cross our fingers and hang on to hope.

-by Bob B (8-9-23)

The Less Said the Better

Trump and his lawyers had better shut up

If they want to win his case.

They're digging a deeper grave each day

In efforts to try to stir up Trump's base.

 

Every time Trump opens his mouth

He sticks his foot deeper inside.

He lies to justify his actions,

But facts are something from which he can't hide.

 

We have the videos, speeches, and tweets,

In which Trump makes his intentions clear.

Will he keep pushing the envelope

As the upcoming trials draw near?

 

"Most Republicans act like weak jerks,"

Says Trump, as he goes after his own.

Nothing or no one is sacred to him;

He can't even leave his supporters alone.

 

They have to "get tough" and "fight fire with fire,"

He says. The man cannot keep quiet.

It's almost as though he's intent upon

Instigating another riot.

 

Trump has been admonished to watch

His words and actions before his trial.

Is that even possible

For someone like him who lives in denial?

 

Will he attempt to cooperate?

Most likely he will try to derail

Our system of justice. We will see.

Maybe he'll blow it and end up in jail.

-by Bob B (8-5-23)