Remembering Wilma

When we think of heroes or heroines,

Role models, mentors, or all of these combined,

The name WILMA RANDOLPH is one

That definitely should come to mind.

Wilma was born in 1940,

In Tennessee, the Volunteer State.

As a child she had polio and wore

A brace on her leg until she was eight.

They had to travel a distance to seek

Medical help because of a lack

Of services for folks in their town
If the color of their skin was black.

But Wilma was able to beat the odds

With inner strength and determination,

Along with physical therapy,

Hard work and dedication.

While still in high school in '56,

Winning became her newly found theme

As she won a bronze medal

On the US Olympic team.

Later, back in school holding

Her medal in the air for classmates to behold,

"Skeeter" (which was her nickname back then)

Said that her goal was to go for the gold.

In 1960, at the summer games

In Rome, Italy, the world would see

Wilma win not only ONE gold medal,

But the "fastest woman in the world" won THREE!

The first American woman to win

Three gold medals in track and field

At a single Olympiad, Wilma

Let her expertise be revealed.

One of the most popular

Athletes at the games in Rome,

Wilma became a superstar--

A status which followed her back home.

She then decided to teach and coach

And run a community center. Her name

Would shine along with the others in

The US Olympic Hall of Fame.

To Wilma, reaching your goal meant

You had to work hard--to persevere.

Her stamina guided her to become

A civil and women's rights pioneer.

Wilma succumbed to cancer in the year

1994, but she

And her inspiring life continue

To live on in our memory.

-by Bob B (2-27-18)

Fighting Goliath

Goliath tormented the Israelites.

Accepting his challenge for most was an error,

For many lost their lives, while the giant

Continued to boast and spread his terror.

Fearing the Champion of the Philistines,

Saul was baffled and at this wits' end.

Knowingly sending men to their death

Was not an easy task to defend.

David, a lad in his teens perhaps--

Confident that he could win--

Offered to take on the giant himself.

Reluctantly, Saul gave in.

"Take my armor and sword," said Saul,

"Which you'll need if you want to succeed."

"I have my sling and my rocks," said David.

"My will is the only weapon I need."

The towering giant gazed down on the youth.

"A curse on you!" was all that he said.

David brought him down with some stones

Slung from his sling; then chopped off his head.

For the Philistines, the table had turned,

For now--ha!--it was their turn to fret.

Without their giant, they'd lost their power.

No longer did they serve as a threat.

Goliaths out there, watch out for Davids.

Don't think that you have unlimited power

To spread your threats, control, and fear.

Our Davids will show you your final hour. 

-by Bob B (2-25-18)

Never Again!

Never again! Chant with us:

Never again! No more!

Let your urgent demands echo

From north to south, from shore to shore.

Never again must we suffer

From bloody massacres at our schools.

Whoever thinks that thoughts and prayers

Suffice only takes us for fools.

We are tired of candlelight vigils

Held at our schools to honor the dead.

We refuse to tolerate

Living in fear of another code red.

When we're offered a bill of goods

That shootings come with the territory--

That stricter laws have no effect--

We are out to change that story.

We refuse to accept a world

Where shootings have become the norm.

We will support lawmakers who

Advocate gun-law reform.

Doing nothing leads to nothing.

Despite our loss, hope survives.

Put an end to living in fear.

Join us as we march for our lives!

Another school massacre here

Must NOT be a question of when.

The only response that we accept

Is Never again! Never again!

-by Bob B (2-22-18)

The Biggest Threat

Ignore for a moment talk of obstruction

Of justice, conspiracy, or collusion,

And focus on one inexplicable

Fact from which to draw a conclusion.

Despite the proof that Russians meddled

To a great extent in our last election--

Despite the indictment of thirteen Russian

Nationals--Trump's undying affection

For Putin and Russia never wanes.

Knowledge of troll factories and bots,

Hacking into voting machines,

And voter disruption and other plots,

Keeps expanding day by day.

And yet there's NO condemnation

Or mention of punishment as a response

To widespread election manipulation.

Is Trump so compromised by the Russians--

A critic asks--is HE one who'll

Easily fall for blackmail, or is

The man merely a "towering fool"?

Trump can criticize everyone else

In senseless, ungrammatical tweets--

Immigrants, athletes, women, the justice

Department, critics, and DC elites--

And yet Russia is fully off-limits.

Apparently, Putin can do no wrong,

Despite the fact that evidence

Of ongoing election meddling is strong.

It's serious when our elected officials

Cater to our adversary

And the biggest threat to democracy

Sits in the Oval Office. Scary!

-by Bob B (2-20-18)

Politicians, Don't Ask Me to Pray!

Please don't ask me to pray for victims

Of shootings. IF you do I'll refuse.

You THINK you mean well, but praying is merely

A politician's sham, a ruse,

A strategy or way to skirt

The issue that's sadly become a disgrace:

The problem of gun violence here--

Something that’s staring us in the face.

Don't ignore the matter and then

When there's a shooting ask me to pray,

While you accept money from gun

Lobbyists and the NRA.

Do not mouth obsequious chants,

Pretending your interest is on the level,

And then act shocked and horrified

After you've made your pact with the devil.

Do not quote the Constitution,

Insisting you know the writers' intentions,

When it's clear that our failed system

Is badly in need of interventions.

Don't make it easy for people to get

Assault-style weapons and bump stock devices,

Supporting the gun industry at

The cost of human sacrifices.

Action--not prayers--is what we need.

Commonsense solutions. Again:

Action. But if praying's your thing,

Ask to become AWARE. Amen!

-by Bob B (2-18-18)

2006 Can Come Back to Bite You

Twenty-oh-six was a good year for Trump--

A fifth child, some love affairs.

We could go into greater detail

But maybe that would be splitting hairs.

Did we say that the little flings

Both took place during his marriage?

I guess certain institutions

Are fair game to flout or disparage.

Two ladies--a porno star

And an ex-playboy bunny--have stories,

Both of which put them in

Slightly different categories.

Both ladies received hush money

During the presidential campaign

In different ways, but nonetheless,

Silence is sometimes hard to maintain.

Despite substantial payoffs, Trump

Denies the affairs even occurred.

But people wonder how many more

Times he's said, "Mum's the word."

How the president wants to define

His marriage--we must reiterate--

Is up to him. Hopefully it's

Appropriate for a chief of state.

We also think that a president

Should be sincere in matters political

And not live a double standard

And act in a manner that's hypocritical.

For white evangelicals

Trump's behavior undermines

Nothing, for didn't Solomon

Have three hundred concubines?

-by Bob B (2-17-18)

Stormy Weather Again

Stormy is back in the news,

Looking for better reviews.

It wouldn't be keen

Not to come clean

On something she couldn't refuse.

People say Trump's a bit harried;

It all happened after he married.

'Twas just a short fling;

No promise, no ring.

But big plans for silence miscarried.

Trump's fine attorney then later,

Serving as negotiator,

Paid Stormy a sum

To make her stay mum

And said, "Good-by, alligator."

As porn star, Stormy might brag

About any man she might snag.

Her story and pix

From twenty-oh-six

Came out this year in a mag.

Attorney and Trump both deny

That anything happened. Then why

Did both of them feel

That Stormy would squeal,

And give her the dough on the sly?

We hear now that Stormy is saying

Their pact to stay silent is fraying.

She blurted out, “Halt!

The lawyer’s at fault.

No longer will I be obeying.”

Stormy is sly, people say.

To some she's a Morgan le Fay.

She said to the press

That she'll take her dress

And test it for Trump's DNA.

It seems as though only Trump's base

Completely ignores his disgrace.

When he is errant

And so darn transparent,

How can he keep a straight face?

Perhaps we will find that no doubt there

Will be more to scribble about. There

IS one suggestion:

Bring up the question

Of how many "Stormys" are out there?

-by Bob B (2-16-18)

Valentine's Day, 2018

A day of love, a day of hearts:

Valentine's Day, twenty eighteen.

The day started out like any other

But ended in a horrific scene.

Students in Parkland, Florida,

Shared their valentines today.

A former student entered the school

To celebrate in a different way.

An AR-15 assault-style rifle

Was that student's valentine.

Killing and hurting students and teachers

Was his version of "Please be mine."

All it takes is a single person

To drag a special day through the mud.

Roses and hearts with Cupid's arrow

Lie on the ground, splattered with blood.

Are we failing our people here?

When shootings occur, we ask for prayers

Instead of taking appropriate measures.

What a sad state of affairs!

Most of us enjoy our day;

Our lives return to normal tomorrow.

Valentine's Day for people in Parkland

Forever will be suffused with sorrow.

-by Bob B (2-14-18)

Time to Act

United States intelligence chiefs

Announced the need for further protections

To keep intrusive Russian hackers

From interfering in future elections.

During our previous election, U.S.

Agents uncovered meddling tracks

Involving multi-faceted

Russian-inspired cyber-attacks.

There's been NO decrease in activity

All this time. What does that mean?

It means to expect more tampering

In mid-term elections in twenty eighteen.

Some people's ears are deaf to the threat.

Instead of acting, they choose to doubt it.

President Trump and his team so far

Have chosen to do nothing about it.

When it comes to Putin and Russia,

Trump refuses to make a fuss.

Fool us once, shame on Russia,

Fool us twice, shame on us!

-by Bob B (2-14-18)

Fall from Grace

When John Kelly joined team Trump,

Becoming the president's Chief of Staff,

Many thought he'd be the one

To separate the wheat from the chaff--

To rein the frenzied president in

Or guide him when he's out of line.

If those were the expectations,

So far there has been no sign.

Instead, the man basically

Promotes Trump's nativist dreams;

Obnoxious tweets continue to flow

From Trump's phone in steady streams.

Lying to back the president's lies,

Kelly has lost all credibility.

Calling Rob Porter a man of honor,

Shows less strength and more servility.

A man of greatness, pride, and conviction

Needn't resort to subterfuge.

The once-honorable general

Has now become the president's stooge.

-by Bob B (2-13-18)

The Other Memo

Devin Nunes and fellow Republicans

Certainly had their hands full

When they composed a controversial

Memo that was basically bull.

Nunes' cherry-picked assertions

Were assembled to malign

The FBI and also to lay

The groundwork for firing Rosenstein.

Trump was advised not to release

The memo but did it anyway,

Nervous because the Mueller probe

Is closing in day by day.

Before Trump had even seen

The Nunes memo, he avowed

He would release it, which in turn

Would do his Republican lackeys proud.

The Democrats have sent to Trump

Another memo for release--

One that rebuts the Devin Nunes'

Attack-memo, piece by piece.

But what? Trump won't release it?

All of a sudden we all learn

That national security

Is the president's major concern.

So Russian meddling in our elections

Is not a serious issue, and yet

A memo rebutting misinformation

Is a major security threat?

"Release the memo!" messages

Won't be sent out by Russian bots

To help you, Dems. They are waiting

For Nunes to write more devious plots.

The more Trump has tried to resist--

The more he's covered up facts and lied--

The more it seems so obvious

That there is something he's trying to hide.

-by Bob B (2-10-18)

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far

Frederick Trump*--we know of him.

What about his son Fred--

The father of Donald J,

Whose reputation is now widespread?

Fred started out fairly young

Building houses and apartments in Queens.

Later forming a company,

He soon became a man of means.

In 1927 Fred

Attended a parade on Memorial Day--

One that just happened to have been

Organized by the KKK.

Police arrested Fred, for they

Had told him to leave; instead he stayed.

Was he an innocent bystander

Or a participant at the parade?

1954 proved

That controversies weren't disappearing.

Fred was investigated

For wartime profiteering.

Later tenant Woody Guthrie

Accused him of stirring up racial hate.

(The Trump family always seems

To have something to litigate.)

In 1973 Fred

And son Donald faced accusations

Of unfair treatment of blacks--in short,

Of civil rights violations.

So bad blood between the Trumps

And the DOJ has a history.

Thus, Donald J's attack

On the justice system is not a mystery.

Both sides claimed victory,

But father and son hated the fact

That they were told to acquaint themselves

With the current Fair Housing Act.

(Funny, but we can see a pattern

In watching the president's evolution.

He also has difficulty

Understanding the Constitution.)

Fred suffered from Alzheimer's

The final years of his life. What's scary

Is the possibility

That maybe it's hereditary!

When looking at grandpa, dad, and son,

Very few would disagree

How they bring to life the saying:

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

-by Bob B (2-6-18)

*born Friedrich

The Dud

Surrounded by hype, Devin Nunes

Scripted his daily reality show,

While flurries of words on right-wing TV

Gave the viewers vertigo.

The "memo" was the talk of the land.

"Release the memo!" was the rage.

Conspirators wanted to prove wrong-doing--

Biased treatment of Carter Page

And bias toward the president.

Creating a specious storyline

From FBI reports, Trump's

Lackeys attempted to undermine

An ongoing investigation.

All it did was fall with a thud.

Despite Sean Hannity's ranting and raving,

The memo proved to be a dud.

Combine conspiracy theory news,

A cherry-picked narrative filled with holes,

Eagerly manipulated

Believers and Russian bots and trolls,

And you have a farce of epic proportions--

A bucket of chaos, filled to the brim.

As John McCain so wisely put it,

"We're doing Putin's work for him."

-by Bob B (2-3-18)

Dear Putin...

"Dear Vladimir Putin, my friend,

Thank you for your ongoing support.

You know I'm really going to need it

If I somehow land in 'court.'

"Keep bombarding social media;

Expand the use of all those bots.

But definitely cover your tracks,

For people will try to connect the dots.

"You know how I--one of your fans--

Highly respect your strongman appeal.

You've perfected your talents there,

As I the art of making a deal.

"I like the way you cripple dissent;

You've got the people under control.

I'm NOT there yet, but give me time.

It remains my overall goal.

"Poisoning my opponents? Well,

Maybe I wouldn't go that far.

But you and I together can think of

Other techniques, tzar to tzar.

"Right now the investigation

Here is really driving me mad.

I want to fire Mueller but need

Grounds completely ironclad.

"Maybe you can help me there.

I'm sure for you it's worth a try:

Help my kiss-ass Republicans

Vilify the FBI.

"I'm trying to follow your media playbook

On how you limit opposing views.

I'm able to spread a lot of untruths

On MY station called Fox News.

"My efforts to trick the religious right

Have been clever and not at all shoddy.

Even though we both know there's

Not a religious bone in my body.

"By the way, you don't have

Tapes of me when I was there

In Russia, do you? You know the kind:

Tapes of me in my underwear.

"Remember the word sanctions, my friend.

We can lift them--buh-lieve you me--

If all the tapes of me disappear.

Your friend, Donald T."

-by Bob B (1-31-18)

How to Obstruct an Investigation

Obstructing an investigation

Is really easier than one thinks.

Surround yourself with fawning fans

To help you work out all the kinks.

It helps if you can early on

Fire the head of the whole shebang,

And then sully his reputation

With every subsequent harangue.

Build distrust in the FBI

So when the people hear those initials,

They'll remember how you impugned

The credibility of law officials.

Spread the fear that a secret society,

Cleverly organized and malicious,

Is out to get you, even though

In reality, it's fictitious.

Let your "friends" in Congress create

Alternate scandals that detract

From your investigation, even

Though they are not based on fact.

A news station that has the least

Credibility helps a great deal--

One that pedals conspiracy theories

With unabashed passion and zeal.

Undermine investigative

Efforts by frequently causing confusion,

And then repeat ad nauseum

"No collusion! No collusion!"

Using some Stalinesque techniques

Helps your cause, and once you've begun,

The people, too, will call the media

Public enemy number one.

Having power will make you feel

That you possess unlimited choices.

If democracy gets in the way,

Keep on trying to quiet voices.

All of the strategies listed above--

If they're mercilessly applied--

Will come in handy, especially

If you have something to hide.

-by Bob B (1-25-18)

Like Lucy with Her Football

You did it again, Senatorial

Democrats. How naïve!

You keep falling for the tricks

McConnell has up his sleeve.

Long ago a funding bill

Could easily have been sent--

One with bipartisan support--

To the president.

Republican leaders chose, however,

To play a game, and that's

How they let a shutdown occur

And then blame Democrats.

True, the president's wishy-washy

Feelings aren't always clear.

It doesn't help when bigoted voices

Are whispering in his ear--

Voices of Kelly, Steve Miller,

Iowan Steve King,

And Tom Cotton from Arkansas,

All with a racist sting.

And so for now the fate of the Dreamers

Is a question mark.

You trust that McConnell won't continue

To leave them in the dark?

McConnell waits--like Lucy with her football--

For you to run up and kick it.

Will you fall for the trick again,

Or tell him where to stick it?

-by Bob B (1-23-18)

White House Limericks, January 2018

If Trump wants to read Fire and Fury,

I would suggest that he hurry.

The next exposé

Will be more risqué

And give him more reason to worry.

Was Donald Trump feeling forlorn,

And afterwards did he feel torn,

From having a fling

And feeling like king

With one of the hot queens of porn?

If Bannon would do what he oughtta,

He'd check out his list of errata,

For now he has learned

How it feels to get burned

And be Trump's persona non grata.

From watching the news on the tele

We're seeing much more of John Kelly.

Our first thoughts of him

Were not quite so grim,

But he's become Machiavelli.

Trump was really obsessed

With proving his mind was the best.

His cognitive exam

Was probably a sham,

And most people are not impressed.

A leader went out on a limb

And joined a new fitness gym.

"Forget it!" he said.

"I'd rather be dead.

To hell with me being slim."

-by Bob B (1-21-18)

The President and the Porn Star

Loudly the Muses sing out a tale:

The President and the Porn Star.

They sing about qualifications and how

Much a leader can lower the bar.

Their voices resound as they tell the story

That happened ten years before he became

The president. Though married he was,

Marriage to him was just a game.

Four months after his fifth child was born,

The man--a celebrity--had his fling.

Did his third wife know? The Muses

Haven't told us everything.

Feeling outrage overload,

The public merely said, "Just one

More story to add to a growing collection.

The man was just having some fun."

If the celebrity had an adventure,

If he had his little affair,

That was his choice--his decision.

Frankly, the Muses really don't care.

When money became involved in the matter,

It gave the story an added dimension.

Hush money paid to the star?

That's what attracted the Muses' attention.

A payment of one hundred thirty thousand

Dollars went to the porn star's account

Before the election to keep her silent,

The importance of which was paramount.

With so many songs to sing, the Muses

Inspire us to listen, to learn,

To grasp the art of living, to seek

The beauty of truth, for which we yearn.

Keep singing, Muses. Follow the money.

Point out hypocrisy, fraud, and deceit.

What more can your songs reveal?

The truth should never become obsolete.

-by Bob B (1-19-18)

They Can't Keep Their Stories Straight

Certain Republican members of Congress

And White House staff have of late

Had a lot of difficulty

Keeping their made-up stories straight.

Senators Graham and Durbin reacted

When Trump referred to "shithole" nations

And thus disparaged Salvadorians,

People in African countries and Haitians.

But Senators Perdue and Cotton

At first said they weren't aware

Whether the president said the word

And tried not to get caught in the snare.

A couple days later they said, NO,

He didn't say "shithole" at all.

How convenient: this sudden change

Of mind from nothing to sudden recall.

After that they changed their stories.

It wasn't "shithole" but instead

The word was "shithouse." Yes, that was

What President Trump had said.

At first Trump didn't deny it,

But later said his language was "tough."

(But we've heard what comes out of his mouth

Whenever he speaks off the cuff.)

What difference does it make?

The word isn't the main point here.

Attitude, racist feelings,

And lack of respect are very clear.

Once they lie, they have to keep lying--

They have to keep plugging away.

As their stories change, the liars

Look more foolish every day.

-by Bob B (1-17-18)

March!*

We hear the sounds of approaching thunder

Drowning out the cries and pleas

Of people calling out for freedom--

Urgent calls in times like these!

March!

We hear the words that spit and sputter--

That splatter against mellifluous sounds

Of peace, of hope, of promise, of caring,

Creating verbal battlegrounds.

March!

We see the dark and threatening clouds

Looming above, waiting to rain

On love and reason. The winds of hatred

Equal the force of a hurricane.

March!

We see around the neck of compassion

A cruel, ever-tightening noose,

While the henchmen multiply--

A surge of bigotry on the loose.

March!

We feel in our hearts the constant longing

For dreams that should be guaranteed

By thoughtful laws and not by decisions

Forged from ignorance, power, and greed.

March!

We feel the sadness, pain, and despair

Of all who are trampled and left behind,

Of all whose rights are being denied,

Of all who are hated and maligned.

March!

We know that we can transcend bias;

When myth prevails, wisdom departs.

We can flourish by wisely removing

The chains of intolerance from our hearts.

March!

We know that we have the potential

To live in a country governed by laws

Embracing all the people here

And freeing us from tyranny's claws.

March!

March to demonstrate solidarity

With others who hear the urgent call.

March together in peace for social

And economic justice for all!

March!

-by Bob B (1-31-17, 1-17-18)

*This is an update and reposting of my Jan 2017 poem

Sing Out for Freedom!*

They marched together; they marched strong,

With flags, signs, and banners waving.

They marched in sun, snow, and rain

To speak out for rights and causes worth saving.

The Women's March on Washington

Became a world phenomenon

Occurring on seven continents.

May the powerful memory live on!

Women, men, and children with

Determination undeterred

Peacefully rallied together,

Letting their mighty voices be heard.

Echoing through the cities' canyons

And filling city parks and squares,

Their voices loudly demanded that leaders

Listen to democracy's heirs.

When people's rights are under attack,

When greed-driven politicians

Bow to Wall Street and corporations,

Ignoring the struggling people's petitions,

The people then must raise their voices

And hope that their peaceful protest starts

A major shift in understanding--

A positive change in lawmakers' hearts.

The protesters clearly spoke:

We must protect democracy

From the threatening ravages

Of plutoc-, corpoc-, or kakistocracy.

They'll march again in 2018.

They'll march to show that it has never

Been more urgent, for now there are

More reasons to march than ever.

Onward, marchers. Don't give up.

You have a voice; let it ring

From east to west, from north to south.

Sing out, people! Sing! Sing!

-by Bob B (1-22-17, 1-13-18)

*This is an update and reposting of my Jan 2017 poem.