The Missing-the-Mark Encounter

Interestingly, it seems that Kentucky

Enjoys incredible satisfaction

In boasting the Ark Encounter, which is

A strange and bizarre tourist attraction.

 

Noah’s Ark--an allegory--

Is presented as history.

That folks believe the pseudoscience

Involved is a total mystery.

 

Misleading information awaits

People who choose to visit the park.

For example, replicas

Of dinosaurs are on the ark!

 

The park's creator believes that Earth

Really isn't so very old--

Only around 6,000 years.

He tries to prove it, so I am told.

 

What he's doing is misleading folks--

Brainwashing kids, or so it appears.

Dinosaurs predated human

Beings by millions and millions of years!

 

The structure itself might be amazing--

A massive work of art. Who knows?

But being something described in a popular

Tale is about as far as it goes.

 

The story of Noah is interesting;

However, depicting it as fact

Is an inaccurate practice, which

By logic and reason cannot be backed.

-by Bob B (10-30-23)

The Creeper of the House

Unfortunately, Republican

Extremists in Congress have won.

The recent clown show isn't over;

In fact, it's barely begun.

 

Mike Johnson was voted in

As Speaker! Please, no cheers.

He's the least experienced Speaker

In over one hundred years.

 

Johnson, we know, was instrumental

In building a strong connection

With those who tried to change the results

Of the 2020 election.

 

To help explain societal ills,

Here's his contribution:

Mass shootings are the result

Of teaching evolution!

 

OMG! If you think things

Are bad right now, just wait.

To him there should be no separation

Between church and state.

 

Embracing right-wing culture wars,

Johnson's ready to fight

To push his crazy, extremist agenda

Instead of doing what's right.

 

MAGA extremists have taken the country

Hostage. It's sad but true.

Come on, House Republicans!

Is that the best you can do?

-by Bob B (10-26-23)

The Grand Deception

For years Trump has wanted us

All to believe that he is the great

Businessman par excellence,

When actually, he's second-rate.

 

By lying and cheating his way to the top,

He fooled many. But let's not forget

That Trump's successful empire was

A fiction created by Mark Burnett.°

 

Trump's REAL empire is

A castle built on shifting sand.

For many years he has relied

On fraud to help promote his brand.

 

"Fraud" is such an ugly word,

But maybe for Trump it's really not.

To him it seems that all is fair--

Just as long as you don't get caught.

 

As he gaslights Americans,

It's hard to know what he really believes.

The hypocrite cannot escape

The fantasies to which he cleaves.

 

How sad it is that he has led

Americans down the rabbit hole!

How can they trust someone who couldn't

Tell the truth to save his soul?

-by Bob B (9-27-23)

°Producer of the TV series The Apprentice

The Journey: A Parable*

A group of people heard there was

A city with treasure beyond compare.

They met a wise, compassionate leader

Who said, "I will guide you there."

 

The road was a long path that led

Through wild and treacherous terrain.

After many exhausting hours,

The weary group began to complain:

 

"We are tired and still very far

From our destination, and so

We’d like to turn around and go home.

Our previous plans we'll gladly forgo."

 

The leader thought, "How sad it is

That they'll so quickly abandon the treasure!

Surely, they will regret their wish,

And that will cause them great displeasure."

 

And so he magically created

A stunning city. All were impressed.

The city was full of cozy places

Where all the travelers could rest.

 

Parks with beautiful, soothing fountains

Were in abundance, and rows of trees

Crisscrossed the lovely flower-filled gardens,

And blossoms sailed by in the gentle breeze.

 

The leader observed that the group was growing

Complacent, and after they'd rested a spell,

He made the city disappear--

The safe and lovely gardens as well.

 

"This city was only a place where you

Could rest before you reached your goal,"

He said. "I hope that now you can

Continue your journey with heart and soul.

 

"By sticking together, we will reach

The city of treasures. You won't regret it.

Weariness will stop you from

Succeeding only if you let it."

 

Provisional experiences

Can guide us and give us inspiration,

But seeking and finding deeper truths

Can ultimately be our salvation.

 

Never give up on the lifelong journey

To knowledge and wisdom, for sooner or later

The light of simple pleasures will be

Outshone by a treasure that's even greater.

-by Bob B (9-11-23)

*Based on the parable in Chapter 7 of the LOTUS SUTRA

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)