On Hiatus

I have not been diligent in writing for this blog;

Used to do a lot of rhymes but it became a slog.

It's no fun to rhyme about what's going on out there.

America is in a crisis...  I am in despair.

I'd thought Donald Trump an aberration - just a fluke -

Now I see he isn't, and that makes we want to puke.

He attacks the very things that made this country great;

Demonizing every Democratic candidate.

His base loves him for it; they adore his Twitter rants...

Echoing his ugly sentiments in racist chants.

Maybe Trump's just cynical and it's his strategy

But the fact it's working for him is depressing me.

I feel like a dummy 'cause I never understood

How it is that people, even in my neighborhood,

Here, in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, are supporting Trump...

My faith in humanity has gone into a slump.

'though I've tried, repeatedly, to see the other side;

Put aside how often his Administration's lied,

Watched a lot of FOX and Friends for what they had to say,

I found myself overwhelmed...  I've had to step away.

Happy Mother's Day 2019

 

Wishing all the mothers in my life a happy day,

With the hope our rotten children won't forget to say

"Thank you Mom, for all the many things you've done for me

Because, without mothers, where would any of us be?"

"Mother" isn't just a word for women who gave birth,

She's the one who loves you more than anyone on Earth.

Mom's the one who props you up when you aren't feeling strong,

She's the one who has your back when everything goes wrong,

I know that I'm very lucky...  My Mom's still alive:

Healthy, active, social, and alert enough to drive.

Her son and her daughters count our blessings every day,

Not just on some random Sunday in the month of May.

Mental Health Break

 

I've been off the internet for quite a bit of time.

Haven't gone to Facebook, Twitter or composed a rhyme.

Didn't Google, Snap a Chat or check with Instagram...

Realized that, in the end, I didn't give a damn.

Go Vote!

 

I'll be glued to coverage of the returns tonight,

Hoping that the country will impose some oversight

On a President who's been behaving like a troll.

This mid-term election is about our country's soul.

Here it is...  November 6th, and I've already voted.

Turnout was much higher than I've previously noted:

Younger voters who don't normally participate,

Brand new voters at the polls deciding their own fate.

It's unprecedented in a mid-term that we see

Hordes of people taking part in their democracy.

Pollsters are reluctant to predict the tighter races

Because lines are out the door at many polling places.

Hopefully this indicates a Democratic wave;

Citizens who feel this country's worth the fight to save

From the demagoguery we've been subjected to.

It's a referendum on what is and isn't true.

Happy 21st Birthday Darlin'!

 

We do not have children now...  Both sons are young adults.

We've been raising them for years; we're thrilled with the results.

Youngest son turns 21 today... There'll be a crowd;

Family who love him and the parents he's made proud.

Sitting here - remembering the day that he was born -

Looking back on all the years and trying not to mourn

For the end of childhood and the turning of a page,

Starting a new chapter as we reach this milestone age.

Going out for Mai Tais - which he swears will be his first...

Maybe so, although I'm pretty sure he's quenched his thirst

On a beer or two or six before but, what the hell,

If he's happy and his college grades are doing well?

This is it! Your time to shine, my darlin'... Have some fun.

Happy Birthday - and a few suggestions for you son:

Take it easy when in pubs and don't debate a punk.

Call an Uber and remember - No one likes a drunk.

Hurricane Florence

Image courtesy of ABC News.

Florence is a "monster;" she's a Category 4.

Both the Carolinas braced for when she comes ashore.

Mass evacuations all along the southern coast.

Residents who try to ride it out at home are toast.

Florence isn't like the other hurricanes we've seen

And she's gonna hang around the region, which will mean

Rain they're measuring in feet with flooding in its wake.

Choosing to ignore the warnings is a huge mistake.

Stock up on supplies; check on your neighbors if they're old.

Please stay safe...  Evacuate if that's what you've been told.

Do not risk yourself - or others - leaving things to fate.

Get yourself to higher ground before it gets too late.

In Memoriam - Senator John S. McCain III

 

With the passing of a patriot like John McCain

My hopes for the country that he loved went down the drain.

No one else has shown the courage he showed 'til the end;

Few have tried to reach across the aisle and make a friend.

(My dad shared a room at the Academy with John

And the stories of the escapades those two went on

Kept us entertained and made me love John even more...)

Would have made a better President than Bush or Gore.

Sixty years of service to the country he adored;

I'm sure heaven has already welcomed him aboard.

He was an example to us all throughout his life.

Praying for his friends and family and lovely wife.