I guess when you are

a genius president, you

don’t need input from intel.

~

This current culture,

replete with egotism,

tends to engender “fake news”.

Is a rigid mask

any less dysfunctional

than explosive emotion?

~

It’s been so long since

I’ve seen a rigid public 

mask, I wouldn’t know.

Sow seeds of smallness.

Short-circuit signs of service.

Sacrifice your soul.

~or~

Contemplate chaos,

consider coalitions,

cultivate community.

Aging gracefully

is not for the faint of heart

or for the weak of spirit.

~

Aging gratefully

can strengthen the muscles of

both heart and spirit.

Where do you turn when

it’s your turn to take the lead

and no one follows?

~

People are often loath

to play follow the leader.

Just lead anyway.

Is this compromise,

or more amoral slight of hand

by the greatest shister in chief?

~

Less compromise than

cave, an act driven not by

cleverness but fear…

The sun refused

to let those dark clouds define

the day. It shone anyway.

~

Some deluded sons

think they shine bright regardless

all dark cloudy evidence.

An ugly knit toque

balms pains of knitter’s passing

simply by wearing

~

By wearing the toque

you honor the knitter and

your place in her heart.

Froth’s a pleasing tease.

Matters of substance take time 

to digest. What’s Trump’s meal plan?

~

A sop to the right,

totally lacking substance,

is exactly what we have!

When frigid breezes

blow in from the frozen north,

will the swamp ice over?

~

Ice comes and ice goes,

but the swamp remains, lasting

home of swampy things.