Marie Antoinette's Lament

In Austria, where I was raised,

A girl like me was highly praised

For entertaining folks at court with song.

But ever since I've been in France,

I barely get a second glance.

Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

 

The rumors fly; they say of me

That I spend far too lavishly

And I should go back home where I belong.

If you were tied to Louis, you

Would know why I do what I do.

Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

 

And so if I say "Fiddlesticks!"

To those who scorn my politics,

I add, "Just wait and let me sound the gong."

But people keep on splitting hairs,

Accusing me of cheap affairs.

Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

 

What is there to hide

Besides my wounded pride?

How COULD they be so mean

To send me TO the guillotine?

 

I hear that people didn’t take

It well when told to eat some cake

Instead of bread; that didn’t please the throng.

A few faux pas and folks see red

And smear your name and want your head!

Is what I’ve done so really all that wrong?

-by Bob B (9-17-22)

RBF*

Do people tell you that you have

An RBF by any chance,

And when you're in their company,

You find that many look askance?

 

Having such a face might not

In the long run be so bad.

People just aren't sure if you

Are happy, bored, upset, or mad.

 

In fact, with an RBF,

Your facial skin needs much less care

Because with fewer smiles or frowns,

Your face shows fewer signs of wear.

 

Our happy, smiling, laughing, frowning,

Or scowling faces can, I guess,

Have an expressive look right now

But soon become a wrinkled mess.

 

You've surely heard of Bette Davis,

The actress of the stage and screen.

When it comes to RBFs,

People say she was the queen.

 

Some don't like the expression at all.

When they hear it, ooh, they lose it.

That's why I, of course, must say

That I would never, ever use it.

-by Bob B (9-8-22)

*Resting bitch face

Take a Stand for Democracy

Take a stand for democracy

When you go to the polls.

Watch out for the shenanigans

Of Right extremist trolls.

 

Pay attention to candidates'

Records from the past.

Often they will lie and say

Their views have been recast.

 

Watch out for the ones who cheat,

Pretending to be fair.

Once you vote them in, they will

Devour you in their lair.

 

Be aware of hypocrites

Who smile but keep their sights

On any tactic they can use

To threaten women’s rights.

 

Do not vote for those who don’t

Have YOUR interests at heart.

Their loyalties to wealthy donors

Play a giant part.

 

Vote for those whose messages

Are reasonable and not

For those who let conspiracy theories

Color every thought.

 

Vote for those who want to keep

Democracy afloat,

And not for those who go all out

To make it harder to vote.

 

Vote for those who do not condone

Violent measures to gain

Power to toss our democratic

Values down the drain.

 

Take a stand for democracy;

It needs you more than ever.

When demagogues say, “Vote for me!”

Tell them, “Never! Never!”

-by Bob B (9-3-22)

The Ballad of a Sociopath

This is the tale of a person

Who always needs someone to blame--

Who's sociopathic by nature.

We will not mention his name.

 

Every darn thing about him

Is narcissistic and sour.

And yet for millions of people,

He is the man of the hour.

 

Way back in his early childhood

There MUST have been something constraining.

Did the young child have a nanny

Who offered him poor potty training?

 

Constantly seeking attention,

As if to say, "Hey! Look at me,"

He wants to be in the spotlight--

Of course, always for a small fee.

 

When he moved out of the White House,

Not caring if he crossed the line,

He took with him box after box

Of documents, saying, "They're MINE."

 

Though classified docs were among them,

That didn't matter to him.

For almost two years he kept them.

Will he pay? Chances are slim.

 

All of his fans and supporters

Come up with any excuse

To try to protect him, when really

Someone should cook the man's goose.

 

He'll thumb his nose at the law

And want us to give him a break.

Sociopaths like him

Don't think they can make a mistake.

 

Currently, he is extorting

The government by making threats

Of violence if he's indicted.

This he does with no regrets.

 

Well, Mr. Sociopath,

It's time that you pay for your crimes.

And once that happens, let's hope

That we will all see better times.

 

Yes, Mr. Sociopath,

Look at the damage you've done.

You're good at fooling yourself,

But you cannot fool everyone.

Yes, some might be easily fooled,

But you cannot fool everyone.

-by Bob B (9-1-22)

LOCK H...HIM UP!

“Lock her up!” Trump’s fans would yell

At campaign rallies in 2016.

Trump just ate it up, for he

Loves to see his fans make a scene.

 

Over and over, Trump would harp

About Hillary's emails, and then,

When his subsequent rally occurred,

He started in all over again.

 

The alleged mishandling of classified docs

Became Trump's wild and crazy fixation.

The mere mention of jailing Clinton

Would get from his crowd a loud ovation.

 

It didn't matter that there was no proof

Of willful negligence involved;

To lambaste Clinton in any way

He could, Donald Trump was resolved.

 

We know that Trump engages in conduct

That he accuses others of doing.

The FBI has taken his classified

Docs, and now the man is stewing.

 

In office, Trump had signed into law

A bill cracking down on anyone

Willfully mishandling

Classified docs. But what has he done?

 

Exactly that! Allegedly.

How ironic if we should find

That Trump is guilty and sentenced under

The very same law that he had signed!

 

Covering up his many wrong-doings

And breaking the rules with pomp and glee

Have been Trump's M.O. from the start.

But will it blow up in his face? We'll see.

 

-by Bob B (8-28-22)

I've Got a Lot of Reading to Do

(This poem could be sung to the melody of "A Lot of Livin' to Do" by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams.)

 

There are books that fill all my cases.

Some are old, some flashy and new.

All those books leave no empty spaces.

I've got a lot of reading to do.

 

There are lots of topics to choose from.

There is fiction; there's non-fiction, too.

Lots of books that I get my views from.

I've got a lot of reading to do.

 

All those books are reading adventures,

And they lift me up when I'm blue.

I like to call them reading thirst quenchers.

I've got a lot of reading to do.

 

There's so much to read,

So much to learn, so much to know.

Read a book and you will grow!

I love to read books over and over--

A practice that I'd never eschew.

My stack's as high as the White Cliffs of Dover.

I've got a lot of reading to do.

 

Yes, reading MUST be called my main passion.

Can't live without it. What about you?

May it never go out of fashion.

I've got a lot of reading,

Lots and lots of reading,

I've got a lot of reading to do.

-by Bob B (8-16-22)

D.T., You'll See

(This poem could be sung to the melody of "Michelle" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.)

 

D.T., you'll see:

Though you fool your minions with your lies,

You don't fool me.

D.T., je sais…

Je sais qui vous êtes vraiment…je sais…

Je sais vraiment.

Say, what the hell were you thinking

When you took all those docs?

You think that simple locks

Will protect top secret docs from getting out of your hands?

 

D.T., I'll say

You aren't fit to run this country; no,

I say no way.

There are folks out there who want you

To be their shining star.

They don't see who you are.

Or if they do, they might see through your guise, and they dare

Not to care.

 

You HAVE to know that you aren't guilt free.

But does that faze you? No.

You just put on your show.

To get your way you have to play the martyr each day.

 

D.T., you'll see.

Fess up to your wrongs and be a man.

Yes, be a man.

I say accountability's a word that you have to learn,

Dear D.T.

 

D.T., you'll see:

Though you fool your minions with your lies,

You don't fool me.

-by Bob B (8-14-22)