Aphrodite, the Cat of the Stage

Sometimes you see her admiring herself

In the mirror that's hanging next to the shelf.

And when she does it, oh, how she shines!

Is that, dear cat, how you practice your lines?

She seems not to care if we pay attention,

But maybe right here I ought to make mention

That being an actress, she's disinclined

To always reveal what's going on in her mind.

And she'll never, never tell you her age--

Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

She says, "You know…I'm not one to cuss,

But when I am hungry, I WILL make a fuss."

Yes, she can certainly put on a scene

And act as though she's an importunate queen.

She says, "My dears, if I'm weak or mild,

I'll never drive the audience wild."

That critical scene is repeated each night--

A regular tour de force all right.

Yes, it's best to try to assuage

Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

Her eyes were surely her greatest feature;

She THUS scoured the town for a drama teacher,

"Who," she says dolefully, "told me one night he

Could make me a star. ME: Aphrodite!"

But as it turned out, ol' Mr. Mittens

Made her instead a mom of eight kittens.

"But," she says, "THAT'S between you and me.

You know that I value my privacy."

It's good to always be on the same page

With Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

One thing you learn is for her it's the norm

To act a bit slighted when asked to perform.

She must be totally in the mood

Or else she behaves in a manner subdued.

And heaven help you if you are neglectful

Or if her audience is disrespectful.

She'll exit the room like a "cat" out of hell,

And you may not see her for quite a long spell.

You never want to see her rage--

Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

She sighs and says, "It's such a shame that

Few playwrights write good roles for a cat.

My friends say--when they see me upset--

'Commercials might be a better bet.'

My talents, however, as you might have guessed,

Best fit the stage. But now I must rest."

With that she lifted her nose in the air

And strutted out of the room with great flair.

It's always nice: advice from a sage

Like Aphrodite, the cat of the stage.

-by Bob B (1-24-20)

(photos from online sources)

Acrobat, the Harbor Cat

Something has happened, and I'd be remiss

If I neglected to tell you this:

There's reason to worry, but try to calm down.

Acrobat is back in town!

His ancestors lived at the Long Beach Pike

Starting way back in the days of Ike.

You have a right to be concerned,

For people all over the town have been burned.

Not a very good diplomat

Is Acrobat, the harbor cat.

When you're dining, be on guard:

He doesn't leave a calling card.

Calamari has its appeal,

But sushi is Acrobat's favorite meal.

He'll snatch the salmon right off of the rice.

(He much prefers seafood to mice.)

Before fried cod can touch your lips,

He'll steal the fish but leave the chips.

He doesn't need a welcome mat--

Not Acrobat, the harbor cat.

At barbecues it's always unclear

How certain items can disappear.

So if you are missing a sausage or two,

A chicken leg, or even a few,

It's not too hard to believe, is it,

That Acrobat was paying a visit?

Swiping food for him is a cinch.

But rodents…well…they'll do in a pinch.

Be on the lookout if you are a rat

For Acrobat, the harbor cat.

There are some who can outfox a fox.

Just after dawn on the fishing docks,

Out of the blue, someone yells, "Wait!

What has happened to all my bait?"

While he stands there scratching his head,

They say that behind the cleaning shed,

Hidden among the buckets and mops,

Acrobat sits, licking his chops.

He won't hang around and stay for a chat--

Not Acrobat, the harbor cat.

Now Acrobat, a cagey sort,

Doesn't believe in child support.

He WON'T help raise his progeny

And blames it all on phylogeny.

He's quite the dandy and quite the cad.

But watch out if you make him mad.

I would wager that many regret

Ignoring him as a credible threat.

You really want to avoid a spat

With Acrobat, the harbor cat.

-by Bob B (1-23-20)

(photos from online sources)

The Senate Impeachment Trial

As the House members turn up the dial

At the president's impeachment trial,

If you're keeping score,

You'll see more and more

That the GOP lives in denial.

How can a trial be legit

If Midnight Mitch will not permit

Key witnesses there?

He says, "I don't care.

Who needs a trial? Just acquit."

His reasoning's so hard to parse.

He basically says, "Kiss my arse."

There's SO much at stake,

But HE'S going to make

The trial in the Senate a farce.

-by Bob B (1-22-20)

America the What?

(This poem can be sung to the song "America the Beautiful.")

America, what's happened here?

You're covered by a cloud.

We're now constrained to shed a tear,

For how can we be proud?

America, you've offered us

Such wonders since your birth.

But now you see how sadly we

Have failed to prove our worth.

America, from east to west

Your history reveals

That in the past we once were blessed

With passionate ideals.

But now we can observe that we

Are burdened by extremes.

Must we regress from hopefulness?

What's happened to our dreams?

America, since early days,

We've grown from cause to cause.

But now we watch as lawmakers

Find ways to bend the laws.

Integrity was once admired,

Equality a goal.

But greed and hate won't make us great.

What's happened to our soul?

America, we'd hoped that you

Would loudly sing your song--

That colors true--red, white, and blue--

Would carry us along.

A crisis looms, the likes of which

We haven't had before.

The case is grave; we've got to save

This land from shore to shore.

-by Bob B (1-21-20)

A Tale of the Porcupines*

The frigid winter was colder than ever.

The porcupines, both young and old,

Were deeply concerned, for animal friends

Were dying because of the bitter cold.

Therefore, they decided that

It would behoove them all to form

A close-knit group. Huddled together,

They could keep one another warm.

It seemed like a good idea at first,

But then they agreed with unanimity

That being so close was not working out:

Their quills pricked porcupines in proximity.

But later they learned that separated,

They were worse off, for no denying,

Unable to keep one another warm,

The freezing porcupines were dying.

If they planned to survive the winter,

They had to act, and so they decided

That being banded together was more

Beneficial than being divided.

And so they grouped together again,

Realizing that they could endure

The little jabs from the others' quills,

But they would survive the winter for sure.

The moral: when we look at life

And consider all our interconnections,

It's best if we can learn to live

With one another's imperfections.

Another way to look at the story:

Life can be painful, but we should strive

To put up with all the pricks in life

If we truly want to survive.

-by Bob B (1-20-20)

*A popular tale (author unknown) retold here in verse

The D.T. Playbook: Chapter 8 (Expanding Your Power)

Expanding your power is essential

For you to rule with an iron fist.

Remember that you and truth and honor

Simply cannot coexist.

Surround yourself with the most unethical

People you know. One result

Is you will find that that is a much

Simpler way to build your cult.

Appoint an attorney general who

Will back you up no matter what.

He'll investigate your critics;

In short, he'll help you kick their butt.

You can then intimidate

Members of Congress, for you'll find

That with the AG's help they'll be

More malleable. Bear that in mind.

Once you've got your toadies in Congress,

Gone is the separation of powers.

You'll get away with anything.

Their blind devotion will water your flowers.

As your power increases and people

Fear you more, you'll know fully

All the advantages of being

A crass, crude, obnoxious bully.

The groveling sycophants around you--

Though they appear weak and feckless--

Will always be willing to give you a pass,

Even if your behavior is reckless.

You can follow the lead of friend

Vladimir Putin, for he understands

What it's like for a leader to have

So much power in his hands.

Oh, I love democracy--

Something that I can exploit and abuse

And manipulate to give myself

Even more power if I so choose.

-by Bob B (1-18-20)

Clicks and Likes

With its trusty algorithm,

Facebook prioritizes for you

Posts and ads so that you see

What it THINKS you want to view.

Bold and sassy, the company

Doesn't even apologize

When certain Facebook users receive

Political ads that are filled with lies.

By the way, are you a purist,

Whom the trend might disturb

To see "like" used as a noun

And the word "friend" used as a verb?

The world today revolves around

"Clicks" and "Likes" on the Internet.

People become bizarrely obsessed

With how many "Clicks" or "Likes" they get.

Email to many is cumbersome,

But if there's something you want me to see,

There's ONE way to ensure that I see it:

Email or text the info to me.

-by Bob (1-17-20)

Do Not Kill Your Hummingbird

If you care about our friends,

Sound the alarm and spread the word:

Do not let your hummingbird feeder

Kill your visiting hummingbird.

What a pleasure it is to watch

The little critters hover and dip

And dart and dash and land on our feeders,

Looking for sweet nectar to sip!

Enjoying their daily visits, we want

To offer help to our little pals.

But if we're negligent, we might

Be killing the little guys and gals.

The nectar in your feeder must

Be changed every five days or so.

Otherwise, the birds could die.

This is very important to know.

If a fungus grows in the nectar,

There will be a complication:

The birds will sip it, their tongues will swell,

And then they'll die of cruel starvation.

I don't mean to make you depressed

Or increase your apprehensions,

But sometimes human beings can cause

Harm despite our best intentions.

-by Bob B (1-16-20)

Listen to Your Heart

(Try singing this poem to the tune of Bob Dylan's song "Blowin' in the Wind.")

How many lies can a president tell

Until people say, “That’s enough”?

How often can one man play a hard game

Until someone else calls his bluff?

How long till people stand up to hate

And give it a fitting rebuff?

The thing you must do is listen to your heart;

You must try to listen to your heart.

How many clouds must darken the sky

Before we can feel the cold rain?

How long must people suffer in life

Until we can feel their pain?

How can a leader within a short time

Destroy what is hard to regain?

The thing you must do is listen to your heart;

You must try to listen to your heart.

How many laws can a president break

Until Congress tells him, "You're fired!"?

How can a leader have so many duds

Among the people he's hired?

What does it take for the voters to say,

"We've had it; your time has expired"?

The thing you must do is listen to your heart;

You must try to listen to your heart.

-by Bob B (1-15-20)

Why It Matters

Elections do have consequences.

Apathy is detrimental.

Putting in office the wrong person

Is not merely coincidental.

Some people say, "No problem

If Donald Trump abuses his power.

He's giving me exactly what

I want, so why should I be sour?"

Other people--regarding their jobs--

Complacently say, "I’ve got work.

So why shouldn’t I vote for him,

Even though the man is a jerk?”

Many might say, “I don’t care

How he acts or how much he lies.

MY life is going smoothly.

That's not something I'll jeopardize."

Regarding election meddling by

Foreign powers, people say,

"If it helps the president

To get elected, fire away."

"So what if White nationalists

Infect the White House," some insist.

"Don't racists and bigots and haters

Also have the right to exist?"

People say, "Trump has an ego

And acts like a child if no one feeds it.

So what if we've lost respect in the world.

To hell with respect! Bah, who needs it?"

And then there are also those who believe

Every word he utters, as though

They can't see that the more he speaks,

The more we know what he doesn't know.

Yes, elections matter a lot.

Know what's real; know what's fake.

Our future is hanging in the balance;

The soul of our nation is what's at stake.

-by Bob B (1-14-20)

Pills Pills Pills

There's a guy who always was

The paragon of health.

His fitness was a thing he treasured

Even more than wealth.

He said that exercise and eating

Well will keep you strong.

If he got a cold it never

Lasted very long.

He took daily vitamins

And supplements galore.

His favorite place to shop in seemed

To be the health food store.

He said that he'd take drugs but only

As a last resort.

Well, now he's taking pills, but they

Are of a different sort.

He takes a pill for his thyroid and

One to help him sleep.

There's one he takes for arthritis;

That one isn't cheap.

He takes one for anxiety--

To elevate his mood.

Some he takes on an empty stomach,

And some he takes with food.

He takes a pill for cholesterol;

Another one's for his heart.

All the different shapes and colors

Help him tell them apart.

The one he takes for his prostate helps him

When he has to pee.

Now without his stash of pills

He wonders where he'd be.

So, if you're down on drugs, I think

This gentleman will contend

That certain medications help you

Avoid an early end.

The only thing, he says, is meds

Are not a problem as such,

But why the hell do some meds have to

Cost so very much?

On ONE hand we can say that drugs

Might help us to survive.

And yet because of side effects,

We're lucky to be alive.

If you think that you've been lucky,

You might have been. That's true.

But when you reach a certain age,

THIS might happen to you:

You MIGHT need a pill for your thyroid and

One to help you sleep.

You MIGHT need one for arthritis;

Some of them aren't cheap.

You MIGHT need one for anxiety--

To elevate your mood.

Be sure to read the directions because

Some you take with food.

You MIGHT need a pill for cholesterol,

Or maybe one for your heart.

All the different shapes and colors

Help you tell them apart.

Men, your prostate pill will help you

When you have to pee.

Ladies, you'll take something else;

You WON'T get off scot-free.

Yes, without our stash of pills

I wonder where we'd be.

-by Bob B (1-13-20)

Consequences

All would be quite different today

If we hadn't interfered

In Iranian politics

In the 1950s. What is weird--

Or maybe isn't when you consider

How the world functions--is how

What we did way back then

Is coming back to haunt us now.

Helping to orchestrate a coup,

Our CIA helped a man--

Mohammad Reza, the Shah--return

To be the leader of modern Iran.

The Shah moved the country forward,

But there was also a huge increase

Of harsh acts to stifle dissent

By the Shah's secret police.

The 70s brought a revolution.

The people rose up, and then voilà:

Iran became an Islamic Republic

And said good riddance to the Shah.

What we have now is a mess:

Iran wants to define its role

In the Middle East, while we have

A leader with no impulse control.

Ignoring possible repercussions

And thinking he knows so much more

Than all the experts, he could likely

Involve us in a senseless war.

A recipe for disaster? Yes.

The president MUST be stopped in his tracks.

A sense of diplomacy and brains

Are two important things he lacks.

-by Bob B (1-11-20)

The Curse of Hypocrisy

What a curse: hypocrisy!

Oh, when all is said and done,

Our president doesn’t serve the people

But looks after number one.

The hypocrite says he wants a clean

Environment, and yet he'll dare

To serve the many companies that

Pollute the water and poison the air.

The current admin would rather give

More benefits to the heads

Of big pharma instead of helping

People desperate for the meds.

The right to vote is precious, but still

He helps those who have an obsession

Not with serving American voters

But serving instead voter suppression.

Catering to religious groups,

He wants to see his ratings spike,

And yet his uncouth words and lies

Are not very Christianlike.

When he doesn't get his way,

He seeks immediate retribution,

Not by obeying the law but by

Tromping on the Constitution.

When he campaigned, he complained

About Hillary's emails, and yet

The man himself remains a giant

National security threat.

Is the president motivated

Mainly by power or greed, or both?

When he was sworn into office, did

He take the Hypocritic Oath?

-by Bob B (1-10-20)

Lies, Lies, and Even More Lies

The president says that we should be happy?

He brought us to the brink of war

And then he lied about the reasons.

Of course, we have seen that before.

Lies, lies, again and again…

He thinks he can legitimize

His actions by bombarding us

With lies, lies, and even more lies.

Fifteen thousand four hundred

False claims from the lying pro.

But you have to keep in mind

That that was more than a month ago!

Now he's lying about Iran.

He says he has a better feel

For how to apply maximum pressure--

Better than the nuclear deal.

Abandoning the agreement that

Was working clearly made no sense.

Trump prefers to provoke Iran.

Diplomacy is a better defense.

Diplomacy means "weakness" to Trump.

He would rather pound his chest

And act as though he knows what he's doing.

Tell me: is the man possessed?

Lies, lies, again and again…

How can anyone not despise

A leader who defames our country

With lies, lies, and even more lies.

-by Bob B (1-9-20)

War Crimes

(This poem can be sung to the tune of the traditional Scottish folk song "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean.")

D.T.:

“Oh, I have no problem with war crimes,

Though some people might disagree.

That anything goes is my doctrine.

No, war crimes do not bother me.

(Chorus)

“War crimes, war crimes,

Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.

War crimes, war crimes,

No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Some people frown upon torture.

They think it's cruel and perverse.

But I think that it can be useful.

Restrictive rules are such a curse.

“War crimes, war crimes,

Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.

War crimes, war crimes,

No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Terrorists are a big nuisance.

But one way to spoil their plots

Is to go after their loved ones.

Then they might have second thoughts.

“War crimes, war crimes,

Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.

War crimes, war crimes,

No, war crimes do not bother me.

“Soldiers out there who've committed

War crimes are heroes, you see.

I'll gladly give them a pardon

‘Cause war crimes do not bother me.

“War crimes, war crimes,

Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.

War crimes, war crimes,

No, war crimes do not bother me.

“To leaders who rule other countries,

Listen to me, for I swear

I'll bomb your cultural centers.

Let ALL the world's nations beware.

“War crimes, war crimes,

Oh, war crimes do not bother me, not me.

War crimes, war crimes,

No, war crimes do not bother me.”

-by Bob B (1-8-20)

Thoughts of a Madman

D.T.:

"All of this impeachment talk

Is really getting on my nerves.

My strategy to thwart it doesn't

Get the attention it deserves.

"Let's see….What can I do?

Ah, yes! Create a distraction.

If I can start a war somewhere,

That would surely get a reaction!

"A war with China, North Korea,

Russia? No! Out of the question.

A messy war with Iran might do it.

Now THAT would be my best suggestion!

"I'll take out the number two

Person in the Iranian scene.

Then I'll get my staff to help me

Oil my propaganda machine.

"Bush succeeded in making up

Stories of weapons of mass destruction.

I'll convince my base at least,

For I'm an expert at seduction.

"We will say that Soleimani

Was a dangerous, imminent threat.

If Iran retaliates,

That is something they'll regret.

"So if hundreds of thousands die,

To me my plan has great appeal.

In any war there's bound to be

Collateral damage. No big deal.

"It's time for me to make a decision,

For we're approaching zero hour.

It's amazing what you can do

When you have tons of power.

"Impeachment talk will fade away

After I start my war with Iran.

But first I have to make a call

To see what Putin thinks of my plan."

-by Bob B (1-7-20)

The Relentless Stalker

Death--a relentless stalker--

Never leaves us alone

Until he once and for all

Makes us one of his own.

We think that we elude him.

Although our defenses are weak,

We try to play a fruitless

Game of hide and seek.

He knows every refuge--

Every hiding place--

And hates it when we spurn

His unwelcome embrace.

"Death, be gone!" we say.

"For you I have no use.

Your never-ending threats

Are nothing but abuse."

"Can't you see," says he,

"That I’m determinative?

Only because of me

Are you able to live."

Lurking in the shadows,

He hopes that we'll forget

To heed our inner warnings

Acknowledging him as a threat.

His efforts to cajole us

Into succumbing are steady.

He demands our compliance

Whether or not we're ready.

When he takes our hand,

The best that we can do

Is stare him down and say,

"I'm not afraid of you!"

-by Bob B (1-2-20)

2020

In twenty nineteen, what we saw

Was a truly historic event:

The House of Representatives

Impeached the country's president.

That was only the third time

In two hundred forty-three years.

But he will likely remain in office--

At least that's how it now appears.

Moscow Mitch has already said

That he won't be an impartial judge.

Impeachments, he says, are political.

From his opinion I doubt he'll budge.

A trial in McConnell's Senate would be

A "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am."

In other words, a Senate impeachment

Trial would be a total sham.

Concerned voters across the country

Have to make an important decision:

Will 2020 unite the country,

Or will there be even greater division?

After months of campaign madness,

We'll have a chance to see what ensues.

Maybe a change in the presidency?

Wouldn't that be wonderful news?

-by Bob B (1-1-20)

Sorry, Cousin

If three billion years ago--

According to what the scientists say--

We were merely single-celled beings,

We have come a long, long way.

It’s hard to imagine life before

Becoming multi-cellular creatures

With such a wide assortment of

Fascinating traits and features.

If sixty percent of our DNA

Is shared with fruit flies, we can see

That we humans and fruit flies have

A certain commonality.

If ninety-two percent of our

DNA is shared with mice,

Before we take their little lives,

Do we ever stop and think twice?

Before we kill that fly or rodent--

For reasons that number more than a dozen--

We could at least show a little

Respect and say, “Sorry, Cousin.”

-by Bob B (12-30-19)

Little Liam

Little Liam, you sit on my lap

And look at the world with questioning eyes.

What's going on in your little brain?

We adults can only surmise.

Too young to be afraid,

You are now so utterly obsessed

With putting everything into

Your mouth. Is that your litmus test?

At six months old, you probably

Expect to only be pampered and fed.

I doubt you have an inkling about

What adventures lie ahead.

I fear that we are leaving you

A world that's terribly disjointed.

We would love to make you proud

But fear you might be disappointed.

How could anyone hold you and not

Want to protect you to the hilt?

Your curious, trusting eyes, however,

Fill my aching heart with guilt.

All your uncle has to do

Is look into your innocent face

To know that he must fight much harder

To make this world a better place.

-by Bob B (12-22-19)

Sing, Democracy!

Sing, Democracy! Sing your song!

Let your voice be loud and clear.

Resist the onslaught of vicious attacks

On all the values that you hold dear.

Sing, Democracy! Let the sound

Of freedom muffle the sounds of suppression.

Do not cower when threatened by

Corrupt abuse of power and aggression.

Sing, Democracy! Do not let

Extremists stifle your beautiful voice.

When your music overpowers

The sounds of tyranny, rejoice!

Sing, Democracy, louder yet

When voices of ignorance try to subdue

Your song of hope for humanity,

For you know what is honest and true.

Sing, Democracy! Everywhere,

Let truth, honor, and freedom thrive.

But always know that you must be

Vigilant if you want to survive.

Sing, Democracy, lest your voice

Be stifled forever, and all you've known

About the value of freedom and justice

Turns to a whimper and dies with a moan.

-by Bob B (12-18-19)