The Phantom of the White House

(Try singing this poem to the tune of the song "The Phantom of the Opera," by Andrew Lloyd Webber.)

From New York State he came

And conned his way

Right past the White House gate

And chose to stay.

To be unethical

He is inclined.

The phantom of the White House is a threat

To humankind.

He does not care about

What people need.

He answers more to calls

Of graft and greed.

When making deals with him,

He'll rob you blind.

The phantom of the White House is a threat

To humankind.

He speaks in code just like

A mafia boss.

To find his good points, you

Are at a loss.

His hateful rhetoric

Is unrefined.

The phantom of the White House is a threat

To humankind.

His rank hypocrisy's

A common theme.

All his deceitfulness

Is not a dream.

Speak words against him and

You'll be maligned.

The phantom of the White House is a threat

To humankind.

To purge the White House of

This noisome ghost,

The answer's to remove

Him from his post.

May people everywhere

All keep in mind:

The phantom of the White House is a threat

To humankind.

Beware the phantom of the White House….

He's there--the phantom of the White House….

Beware the phantom of the White House….

-by Bob B (10-6-19)

Bullets, Moats, and Alligators

Once there was a president,

Cold and heartless, who set about

Finding ways to make his country

Great by keeping migrants out.

"We'll place soldiers along our southern

Border," said the nation's boss.

"That way we can easily stop

Migrants from making their way across.

"And if the migrants become unruly,

The soldiers can shoot them, one by one."

Advisers turned to the president

And said, "No, sir, that can't be done."

"Then let the soldiers shoot the migrants

Low, low, in the ankles or thighs.

We will see the unwelcome

Migrants start to drop like flies."

Advisers looked at their boss and said,

"Sir, that's also out of the question."

The president, getting angry now,

Said, "Then here's another suggestion:

"We will build a moat along

Our border wall and fill that moat

With alligators and venomous snakes."

That idea made him gloat.

"And then we'll add spikes to the wall--

Spikes that can penetrate human flesh.

Find me the cost for all of this,

Or else we'll have to start afresh."

Suddenly, he said, "I know:

We'll just change asylum laws

And separate the families.

That should give the migrants pause."

Hard, hard the administration

Worked together to find a plan,

Using words like "riff-raff," "invaders,"

"Dangerous threats," and "caravan."

The whole world watched in horror,

Lamenting how democracy fails

When an unfit elected leader
Goes completely off the rails.

-by Bob B (10-4-19)

Hang Down Your Head

(Can be sung to the tune of the folk song "Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley.")

Hang down your head, dear Donald.

The limits have been breached.

This time you really blew it.

And you’re bound to be impeached.

You say your calls are perfect.

Help us to understand:

If they're so perfect, how have

They gotten so out of hand?

Since you've been in office,

The lying's never ceased.

What will come to light when

More transcripts are released?

You have abused your power.

You've done it all along.

Now you've been caught red-handed.

How can't you know right from wrong?

Hang down your head, dear Donald.

The limits have been breached.

This time you really blew it.

And you’re bound to be impeached.

Extorting foreign leaders

To help with your campaign

Shows that poor behavior

Is something you can't restrain.

And Rudy Giuliani

Only makes matters worse.

His inane distractions

Will end up being a curse.

You know how you'll spin it

By doing what you always do.

You'll attack your accusers,

But they'll still come for you.

Your sycophants in Congress…

Will they let you off the hook,

Even though you're a danger

And even though you're a crook?

Hang down your head, dear Donald.

The limits have been breached.

This time you really blew it.

And you’re bound to be impeached.

-by Bob B (10-3-19)

How They Abuse Their Power!

Obstruction of justice, abuse of power,

A national security threat…

How much more disgusting will

Trump and all of his cohorts get?

Accusing investigators of treason,

Trump again loves to eschew

Our democratic processes

And do what dictators love to do.

Undermining our own intelligence

Agencies, he's on a roll.

AG Barr is working to help

The president achieve his goal.

Barr has flown around the world

To do Trump's bidding, to try to show

That Russia REALLY didn't meddle

In our elections. No, no, no!

The DOJ doesn't serve

The American people. Not anymore.

Whom does it serve? Donald Trump,

A scary fact that we shouldn't ignore.

Giuliani runs off at the mouth,

Helping Trump to dig his grave.

What a hilarious scene it is

To watch the buffoon rant and rave!

The president's lawyer went to Ukraine

To pressure officials--to get some dirt

On Joe Biden--as though requesting

Foreign assistance wouldn't hurt.

Secretary of State Pompeo

Is also stonewalling queries,

Obstructing Congress in order to give

Support to Trump's conspiracy theories.

Earlier, Trump welcomed outside

Help without protesting it.

Now the Colluder in Chief is actually

Going out and requesting it!

Abusing his power and shaking down

Foreign leaders for political gain,

Trump is setting democracy back

During his shady, nefarious reign.

We will see where this all leads.

Meanwhile, Congress has a task.

Will the members prove that they have

A backbone, or is that too much ask?

-by Bob B (10-2-19)

caps CAPS Caps

some people do not write with caps.

instead, they write like this.

unless they’re making a point about style,

something seems amiss.

SOME PEOPLE WRITE WITH ALL CAPS.

IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THEY’RE YELLING.

IT DOESN’T WORK WITH CURSIVE WRITING

AND ISN’T VERY COMPELLING.

The Germans capitalize all Nouns.

That is just the Rule.

But if you don’t know a Noun from a Verb,

Your Writing won't look cool.

Some languages don’t have caps--

The Chinese (中文) language for one.

But learning thousands of characters

Is more work than fun.

Maybe you want to emphasize

A certain word. If so,

Try using ALL CAPS there:

THIS is the way to go.

In poems we often capitalize

Initial words in lines.

And there’s a lot of leeway when

It comes to making signs.

(The president’s use of capitals

Is strangely inconsistent,

As though his knowledge of capitalization

Rules is nonexistent.)

Using caps in different ways

Is rising in popularity.

Whatever the case, remember that

The key word is CLARITY.

-by Bob B (10-1-19)

Stick with Your Prez

(Can be sung to the tune of "Stand by Your Man," by Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill)

Senator Lindsey Graham soliloquizes about the president:

It can be tough being a Trump fan

When the man's completely lost his mind.

All your visions

And his decisions

Clash, but he's the one with whom you bind.

But you'll support him

And defend him,

Even though his worth is hard to find.

And if you neglect

Your self-respect,

He'll be the one to get behind.

Stick with your prez.

Though he disgusts you clearly,

Pretend you love him dearly,

Or ratings drop. My goodness!

Stick with your prez.

Even though you might despise him,

You'll do whatever the man says.

Stick with your prez.

Stick with your prez.

Even though you might despise him,

You'll do whatever the man says.

Stick with your prez.

-by Bob B (9-29-19)

Whistleblowers, Do Not Falter!

Whistleblowers, do not falter!

Blow those whistles! Sound the alarm!

Although your silence might be safer,

Ultimately, it does more harm.

Whistleblowers, keep exposing

Malfeasance where it occurs.

Even though you have to face

All the wrongdoers' smears and slurs.

Whistleblowers, point out corruption,

Abuse of power, fraud, deceit,

And widespread hypocrisy.

Apply some pressure; turn up the heat.

Whistleblowers, do not fear

Corrupt leaders who call you spies

Merely because you reveal

Their deceptive behavior and lies.

Whistleblowers, be for us

Courageous ones who do what's right.

Let the truth saturate

The findings that you bring to light.

Whistleblowers, do not falter!

Blow those whistles! Sound the alarm!

Although your silence might be safer,

Ultimately, it does more harm.

-by Bob B (9-28-19)

Phone Calls and Cover-ups

Phone calls and cover-ups…

Word to the wise:

Be on the look-out

For secrets and lies.

Betrayal of values…

Truths bite the dust

When a leader

Is one you can't trust.

Mob boss presidents

Running the show…

O how they love

To use quid pro quo!

Oath of office…

A meaningless pledge

For someone who's gone

Over the edge.

Empty promises,

Blame and threats…

What a monster

Corruption begets!

Snake oil for sale…

Ready to try some?

The president

Wants you to buy some.

A false leader,

Stirring up haters,

Says whistleblowers

Are nothing but traitors.

Democracy,

When under attack,

Suffers unless

The people push back.

Phone calls and cover-ups…

Word to the wise:

Be on the look-out

For secrets and lies.

-by Bob B (9-27-19)

Aboard the I-Train

Finally, you did it, Congress!

WHAT took you so long?

For almost three years you've dealt with a man

Who doesn't know right from wrong.

Lying to us and abusing his power

Since day number one,

The man has wreaked inordinate damage.

Can it be undone?

Asking a foreign power for help

To win the next election

Shows how his impropriety

Is carried out to perfection.

Of course he'll scream, "Witch hunt! Witch hunt!"

That's his usual ploy.

He'll play the martyr to his fans

And be the whipping boy.

His team's composed of so many lackeys

Nearly as base as he

Who are willing to lie to protect him

To the nth degree.

Some people were slow to come

On board the impeachment train.

Now the momentum ought to be

Easy to sustain.

Will Trump receive support from his toadies

In Congress? You bet he will.

Although they’ve drunk the Kool-Aid, they

Haven’t had their fill.

There are members of Congress who

Never will condemn

Trump’s devious behavior! Well,

Shame on all of them!

Hop on board the train when it

Reaches the nearest station.

It’s for the sake of all of us that

It reach its destination!

-by Bob B (9-26-19)

A Star's Mangled Manner

DJT:

Oh, look and you'll see that the Chosen One's me.

I just know I'll prevail 'cause my base does what I say.

Regulations must go, and my critics will see

That my tax returns will never see the light of day.

And I'll protect the rights that I've kept in my sights:

Breaks for the wealthy and more favors for whites.

I'll defy any who criticize my ways,

For I crave people's respect, and I want tons of praise.

Oh, look at me now and at all that I've done.

All the fake news won't say just how popular I've been.

Oh, worldwide I'm loved; they say I'm number one.

What's the problem if I make a few bucks now and then?

The emoluments clause is one of those laws,

That only restricts and is loaded with flaws.

I'll defy any who criticize my ways,

For I crave people's respect, and I want tons of praise.

You can call me a star; better yet, if you please,

You can call me your king, but the Second Coming's fine.

Just the thought gives me bliss, makes me weak at the knees.

I will do what I want; I think power's so divine.

So to boost my campaign, no way will I refrain

From making some calls to get help from Ukraine.

I'll defy any who criticize my ways,

For I crave people's respect, and I want tons of praise.

I might lie, cheat, and steal if they are a must.

My power's not up for grabs, and to keep it I must fight.

I will strive to defend all the rich upper crust.

I will sabotage all congressional oversight.

I'll create so much fear and I'll be so severe

That immigrants won't even dare to come here.

I'll defy any who criticize my ways,

For I crave people's respect, and I want tons of praise.

-by Bob B (9-24-19)

Duking It Out

The Dems duked it out last week.

The Democratic debate number three.

At the current time we have

Quite a political potpourri.

Cory Booker had his moments

Of passionate insight, charm, and wit.

Although his polling numbers are down,

Booker showed that he's got grit.

Klobuchar's our Minnesotan.

While sometimes others appear misguided,

She reminds us all what happens

To any house that is divided.

Warren has her plan for this

And her plan for that, which is fine.

Can she keep up the fight and maintain

The strength to toe the party line?

Harris displayed pluck and resolve.

When she speaks, she's on fire.

It's just curious as to why

Her polling numbers are not higher.

One surprise was Beto O'Rourke.

Beto fans have to rejoice:

This prospective candidate

Has all of a sudden found his voice.

Without a doubt, one of the best

Speakers standing there on the stage

Was our veteran Mayor Pete,

Extremely wise for someone his age.

Although Biden is high in the polling,

At times his answers seem disjointed.

I start with high expectations,

But end up feeling disappointed.

Castro went after Joe Biden.

But sadly Castro's condemnation

Appeared to come less from strength

And more out of desperation.

Yang has managed to keep afloat.

But what's this crazy idea he has

About wanting to buy your vote?

A little political razzmatazz?

Bernie, well…Bernie's Bernie.

But why does he have to be so gruff?

After his rants, one wants to say,

"Enough already, Bernie, enough!"

It's early still and hard to know

Who will advance and who will flop.

But I would vote for ANYONE

Over the current man at the top!

-by Bob B (9-15-19)

The Cup of Tea*

A university professor

Wanted to learn more about Zen,

A subject that he had never paid

Much attention to till then.

Of course, he had read many books

Explaining the various Buddhist sects

And figured that his overall knowledge

Would help him with Zen in many respects.

Meeting with the Zen master

Of a local Buddhist temple, he

Watched without speaking as

The master poured him a cup of tea.

The knowledge-hungry professor sat

Quietly, mentally exploring

The meeting room, while the sage

Sat before him, pouring and pouring.

Soon the cup was overflowing.

"Sensei,** when are you going to quit

Pouring tea into the cup?

It's full; no more tea will fit,"

Said the professor. The master looked

At the young professor and calmly said,

"Like this cup, you are full

Of preconceptions in your head.

"You have read and studied a lot;

On many subjects, you're well versed.

But how can I show you Zen

Unless you empty YOUR cup first?"

-by Bob B (9-11-19)

*An old Zen anecdote retold here in verse

**teacher

Madness in Trumplandia

Madness pervades Trumplandia

As Donald Trump basks in delusion.

Lies to cover up other untruths

Are being told in mass profusion.

Cover-ups require deceit.

We can observe how they smother

The truth, for daily we are seeing

One cover-up after another.

When Trump is wrong, heaven forbid

That he admit his gaffe or mistake!

His violent storm of lies will leave

Mass confusion in its wake.

To rally support, he needs his team

Of sycophants to back his tales,

Which looks even more absurd.

The man has clearly gone off the rails.

Then he calls his henchmen forth

To use all their ammunition

To pressure officials in agencies

To lie for Trump or lose their position.

All the corruption, all the abuse

Of power is madness in every sense.

The president is living out

His fantasies at OUR expense.

Investigative journalists

Seeking the truth, in Trump's eyes,

Are the enemy of us the people

When they point out all his lies.

The TRUTH will be HIS nemesis

Instead of being OUR enemy,

For when more people's eyes are opened,

The truth is what will set us free.

-Bob B (9-10-19)

My Sharpie!

(This can be sung to the melody of "Maria" from WEST SIDE STORY.)

DJT:

My Sharpie…

The most wonderful thing I've ever held:

My Sharpie, my Sharpie, my Sharpie, my Sharpie.

All the benefits surrounding it are unparalleled.

My Sharpie, my Sharpie, my Sharpie, my Sharpie…

My Sharpie! My Sharpie!

My Sharpie!

I love what I do with my Sharpie.

We can pull together

Changes in the weather.

You'll see.

My Sharpie!

I've just made a mark with my Sharpie,

And it can be arranged:

History can be changed

By me.

My Sharpie!

Hold it tight and there's no denying

That its power is so mystifying.

My Sharpie…

I'll never stop crying: My Sharpie!

My Sharpie! My Sharpie! My Sharpie! My Sharpie!

My Sharpie! My Sharpie! My Sharpie! My Sharpie!

My Sharpie!

Hold it tight and there's no denying

That its power is so mystifying.

My Sharpie…

I'll never stop crying: My Sharpie!

The most wonderful thing I've ever held:

My Sharpie!

-by Bob B (9-6-19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyofWTw0bqY&t=10s

Mind Power

Mind power! That's what she says:

Mind power. Understand?

That's what made Hurricane

Dorian turn away from the land,

According to Marianne Williamson,

Candidate for the presidency,

Which makes one wonder whether she's gone

Bonkers with a capital "B."

After the hurricane devastated

The Bahamas with a deadly force,

Williamson claims that mind power

Was able to change the huge storm's course.

Mind power kept the storm

From hammering Florida's coast.

That is why the winds and rain

Inflicted minor damage at most.

But if the mind's that powerful,

What happened to mind power when

The storm headed toward the Bahamas?

It didn’t seem to help much then.

How often has the mind altered

Storms? Hmmm. Check the stats.

I guess this shows that there are wackos

Even among the Democrats!

-by Bob B (9-4-19)

Long Overdue

The rest of the world is totally shocked:

There is no refuting

That we have a serious problem here

With shooting after shooting.

Other countries attack the problem

By swiftly taking action.

Currently, Americans don't

Have that satisfaction.

Legislators beholden to

The gun lobby feel

That if they pass commonsense laws,

They won't have a deal.

A deal? What? Money? Donors?

The fear that they'll lose votes?

Look at all the deaths that their

Failure to act promotes!

Red flag laws? That's a start.

Background checks? A must.

Efforts to stop the violence

Must be more robust!

Assault weapons? They must go.

Instead of getting a boost,

High capacity magazines

Have to be reduced.

Strip the NRA of its power

And weaken its stranglehold

On politicians everywhere.

Weapons must be controlled.

Now THAT is what I call a start--

A commonsense response

To dealing with a deadly threat

And dangerous nonchalance.

We must wonder how many more

Shootings will take place

Before America deals with

The problem face to face.

-by Bob B (9-3-19)

On the Putting Green

A hurricane approaches--

One of the biggest we've seen--

And where's the president?

On the putting green.

Millions are preparing

For the storm to hit,

Still not knowing

What to make of it,

While the president

Spends his Labor Day

Hitting some balls around,

Which, needless to say,

Is his typical manner

Of showing his great concern.

(Just to hear him speak

Makes one's stomach turn.

Here's a man who said

On the campaign trail

He wouldn't have time to golf.

Talk about a tale!)

Think back two years

To Hurricane Maria.

Trump thought he had

The perfect panacea:

Once in Puerto Rico,

Facing a weary crowd,

He tossed them paper towels.

Ah, he felt so proud!

His mindless hypocrisy

Is a tour de force.

I guess each faux pas

Is par for the course.

-by Bob B (9-2-19)

While the Earth Burns...

Credible scientists

Agree, and it is quite concerning.

We are seeing destructive effects

Of global warming: Earth is burning.

Brazilian agri-business has been

Carelessly throwing fuel on the fire,

Destroying the "lungs" of our planet and making

The situation even more dire.

The Amazon's on fire right now.

Fires are taking a heavy toll

In places all around the world.

The conflagration is out of control.

As heat-trapping gasses are

Released into the atmosphere,

Glaciers melt and oceans grow warmer,

Making hurricanes more severe.

Between climate change deniers

And a warming earth, we're in the middle,

And as Earth burns our president

Watches while he plays his fiddle.

Now he wants to roll back restrictions,

Erasing rules on methane emissions.

Methane as a heat-trapping gas

Will only worsen climate conditions.

With all his environmental rollbacks,

There is NO silver lining.

He wants to open Alaskan national

Forests to logging, drilling, and mining.

If there is a method to damage our

Environment, he will employ it.

Rather than fight to protect our earth,

The president would rather destroy it!

With all the damage Trump is doing,

If anyone says on his behalf

That he's an environmentalist,

All we can say is, "That's a laugh!"

-by Bob B (8-30-19)

A New Low

Many people wonder what

Trump can do to cause more woe.

Never ceasing to find a way,

The man has reached an all-time low.

He is still separating

Families that have been here for years--

Deporting parents and leaving their kids

To fend for themselves. Imagine their fears!

Crossing the line again, he's showing

How cruel and hateful his policies are,

For now the man is pushing one

That's more inhumane than others so far:

Non-citizens being treated

For life-threatening illnesses must

Leave the country in thirty-three days.

Trump thinks that's fair and just.

The Trump administration is saying,

"Sorry, but the time is nigh

For you to leave the United States."

In other words, "Go home and die!"

The White House Nazi Stephen Miller

Has to have his hand in this.

Whatever he can do to hurt

Immigrants gives him infinite bliss.

How sad it is when leaders are

Devoid of human compassion and heart!

Do we stand idly by and watch

The president tear the country apart?

-by Bob B (8-29-19)

Certainly the Man Has Flipped His Lid

(The poem can be sung to the melody of Gilbert and Sullivan's song "A Policeman's Lot Is Not a Happy One.")

When a president's completely off his rocker

--Off his rocker--

And has no sense of how to right his wrongs,

--Right his wrongs--

The fact that people like him is a shocker,

--Is a shocker--

For they should know he's not where he belongs

--He belongs.

A leader should be honest and insightful

--'Nest insightful--

And not behave as though he is a kid.

--Is a kid--

But when he is delusional and spiteful--

--'Nal and spiteful--

We know that he's completely flipped his lid--

--Flipped his lid.

When a president behaves worse than a kid,

--Than a kid--

We know that he's completely flipped his lid

--Flipped his lid.

When a leader feels that global warming's silly--

--Warming's silly--

And even wants to nuke a hurricane,

--Hurricane--

And everything he does is willy-nilly,

--Willy-nilly--

One questions what's going on inside his brain

--'Nside his brain.

When everything he says is senseless chatter--

--Senseless chatter--

And his super ego's vanquished by his id--

--By his id--

People wonder what the hell's the matter,

--Hell's the matter--

For certainly the man has flipped his lid

--Flipped his lid.

When a president behaves worse than a kid

--Than a kid--

We know that he's completely flipped his lid

--Flipped his lid.

-by Bob B (8-27-19)