Second Anniversary

This is January 6.

Just two years ago today

Mobs of insurrectionists

Made an ugly, brutal display:

 

They stormed the U.S. Capitol

All because of a president's lie--

An EX-president now, that is,

Who hasn't stopped his attempts to deny

 

Election results from 2020.

Oh, and his supporters still

Travel south to kiss his ring,

Sing his praises, and bend to his will.

 

He doesn't care whose life he threatens

When making scathing, untruthful remarks.

He doesn't care what kind of damage

One of his dangerous comments sparks.

 

So how far have we come since then--

Since the day of the insurrection?

There has been an investigation,

And there has been a midterm election.

 

Still too many election deniers

Have seats in Congress and fan the flames

Of discontent, by pushing falsehoods

And making truly obnoxious claims.

 

The main culprit lives in his mansion,

Entertaining extremists and kooks

And thinking that he is above the law.

His foes still get his constant rebukes.

 

People have come forth to speak.

Folks have been convicted of crimes.

Democracy, when under attack,

Must strive to survive such scary times.

 

Praise to those who have spoken out,

Undaunted by threats, unafraid.

When ALL have been held accountable,

Then REAL progress will have been made.

-by Bob B (1-6-23)

My Memories Give Me a Great Deal of Comfort

My memories give me a great deal of comfort,

And every single one of them mends

My heart, which suffers from the loss

Of family, relatives, and friends.

 

Ah, those glorious days we spent

Together as we journeyed through life,

Sharing love, laughter, and cheer,

And sometimes struggles through storm and strife.

 

Lifetimes have varied--some were cut short

Long before we'd ever expected.

They are considered short stories

Among life's stories that we've collected.

 

Others have been more fortunate.

Their lives are Russian novels, I'd say.

They lived through multiple generations--

Their skin grew wrinkled; their hair turned gray.

 

Some folks plan to reunite

With loved ones for all eternity.

Others are more inclined to believe

The idea: whatever will be, will be.

 

Of course, we'd rather have the departed

With us, and in a way they are.

The light of their being shines on us

As does the light of a distant star.

 

Therefore, take comfort in memories--

A gentle balm that after a while

Will ease your anguish, lessen your pain,

Dry your tears, and make you smile.

-by Bob B (1-4-23)

New Year's Resolutions

I think a lot of progress could be made

If certain people were not so afraid

To come up with what COULD be a solution

And say it is a New Year's resolution.

 

The January 6 investigation

Explored how mobs of misfits shook this nation.

Trump's indictment for his contribution

Should be someone's New Year's resolution.

 

Politicians when they're making laws

Have donors who give money for a cause.

That's equivalent to prostitution.

Make fixing that a New Year's resolution.

 

House Republicans are out to get

Anyone whom they see as a threat.

When THEY'RE in charge, they threaten prosecution.

Vote them out: a New Year's resolution!

 

Some states make it hard for us to vote.

To stop that we must find an antidote.

Such a task will not be Lilliputian.

But that could make a New Year's resolution.

 

Climate change is getting worse each day.

If we don't act, we're going to have to pay.

We should want to see its diminution.

Let's make that a New Year's resolution.

 

So think of all the things that we could do

To make conditions great for me and you.

It all boils down to finding good solutions

And making them our New Year's resolutions.

-by Bob B (12-31-22)

Playing Dodgeball

I've been playing dodgeball with COVID,
And up to this point, I have succeeded
In dodging the many balls tossed my way.
I haven't let warnings go unheeded.
 
True, it's been a wild game,
And all the balls sing a medley
Of different tunes; some are muted,
Some are stronger, and some are deadly.
 
As they all go whizzing by,
I twist, I turn, I shelter in place.
Protecting myself as much as I can,
I'm finding it hard to keep up the pace.
 
It's an equal opportunity
Virus, for COVID doesn't care
Whom it hits. Whoever gets
In the virus's way had better beware.
 
Extra precautions help us immensely.
Our chances are better that we won't fall
If perchance we're caught off guard
And suddenly get hit by the ball.
 
Some folks are pelted ever so slightly,
And as each one of them disappears
From the circle of COVID escapees,
Other folks are knocked on their rears.
 
The balls keep flying. The game gets even
More befuddling, more demanding.
It makes one wonder if any of us
Can win the round and be left standing.
 
When this game's over--if ever it is--
Will a new one have its say--
A brand new virus, much more virulent--
A new game we'll be forced to play?

-by Bob B (12-29-22)

In Memory of Ed (4-19-1931 to 12-23-2022)

Back in the 1950s my cousin

Met a guy, and later they wed.

For sixty-four years they were together,

Until her death parted Shirley and Ed.

 

They moved to gorgeous New Mexico--

The state where their three kids were bred.

The mountains, mesas, and desert splendor

All were captivating to Ed.

 

He worked for Sandia Laboratories

And therefore wasn't a knucklehead.

But we never knew what he really did.

A top-secret kind of guy was Ed.

 

When people didn't use their brains,

He likened them to the living dead.

Critical thinking was high on the list

Of priorities for wise ol' Ed.

 

A die-hard atheist he was.

One thing that made the man see red

Was forcing religious beliefs on others.

That was anathema to Ed.

 

No, he was a man of science and reason,

Astute and knowledgeable. He said

That all religions are based on myths,

And myths are myths, according to Ed.

 

Some say that without religion you can't

Be ethical, but there's no shred

Of evidence to prove that theory.

A perfect example was honest Ed.

 

He wasn't what you’d call a big spender.

Wasting money was something he'd dread.

Thus, he lived quite frugally,

Though comfortably, if you'd asked Ed.

 

But he loved friends and family

And welcomed them with arms outspread.

Though he could be a curmudgeon at times,

You couldn't help but like dear Ed.

 

Until recent years, it was

Quite an active life that he led.

When he was still in his 80s, you could

Play a match of tennis with Ed.

 

There are people who'd benefit

From following the path he tread.

An active life and an active mind

Were key facets of life for Ed.

 

Now that he's left us, I can no longer

Chat with him on the phone; instead,

I will rely on my memories--

My memories of dear ol' Ed.

-by Bob B (12-24-22)

 

 

Sad Santa Again

The call came in on a frigid morning—

An SOS from Santa’s elves.

“Help!” they cried. “We can’t find Santa,”

And they were all beside themselves.

 

“We’ve searched in every nook and cranny--

In every toy shop all around--

But we can’t find a trace of him.

He is nowhere to be found.”

 

Joining the search, I scoured the cities,

And hunted for him in snow and rain.

Then I heard there were reindeer tracks

In a bombed-out village in eastern Ukraine.

 

I entered a hospital hit by bombs,

Where innocent people were injured and dying.

Santa sat on the floor in a corner,

Holding a child in his arms and crying.

 

“I have had it with human beings,"

He said, wiping away his tears.

"I have tried to bring happiness

To people on Earth for hundreds of years.

 

"But look what's happening all around us.

I try to spread good will and peace,

But vile and vicious humans will not

Let war-caused pain and suffering cease.

 

"And please don't feed me the line about

Pain and suffering making us stronger.

To see children suffer like this…

Well, I can't take it any longer."

 

"I understand how you feel," I said.

"I am just as discouraged as you.

The thirst for power is so destructive!

I'm at a loss as to what to do.

 

"Finding more ways to nurture compassion

In human beings is what we need.

That is one of the only ways

To conquer ignorance, anger, and greed.

 

"All you can do is to keep on attempting

To open folks' eyes, to give them hope

That kindness will win eventually.

That is the only way we can cope."

 

Taking the child from Santa's arms,

A doctor said, "She'll live. Don’t worry.

But I can see that your reindeer are getting

Antsy, so you had better hurry."

 

Santa kissed the child on the forehead

And walked to his sleigh on that wintry night.

He turned to me and held up his hand,

And crossing his fingers, he drove out of sight.

-by Bob B (12-20-22)