under pressure

The crocus thrusting past the dregs of snow
to pass its genes along, can't miss the date.
Banked glucose from last Fall's spent now to grow
to rendezvous with bugs that pollinate.
While salmon hatching out in gravel beds
rely on plagues of insects to wax great,
concatenated species, "food" and "fed"
choreographed to each proliferate.
'Til CO2 knocks all of this awry
each Spring thaw sets another record-mark;
red photons that should leak into the sky
get tangled in our blanket, 'though all's dark.
Darwinian biology of change
may not keep up as Climate gets deranged.

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning brings a whole new cabinet
instead of competence, Trump looks for friends
A strategy that's never worked out yet
means confirmation hearings never end.
Today, it's Shulkin, slashed from the VA;
The guy that gropes Trump's prostate wants that post.
Vets services remain in disarray;
a year from now, this guy in turn is toast.
Next week could be Ben Carson's last at HUD.
This massacre's not Nixon's weekend stroke.
But no new eyes are sought, it's just fresh blood.
Each nominee's been vetted by a Koch.
Don't look for talent plucked from the top shelf;
Trump wants nobody smarter than himself.

rumblings

Paul Ryan hasn't 'ceded that he'll quit
but neither has he bothered to campaign.
He'd need a less exalted place to sit
as his majority swirls down the drain.
The Speaker's office, where the greats held court
will host a caucus hostile to his view.
The pendulum brings a whole new cohort;
as midterms paint the Legislature Blue.
The scandals that long smoldered, blaze to fire
no candidate survives the Trump's embrace.
Unprecedented numbers will retire;
a wave of Freshmen stands to sweep this race.
Pelosi dreams the gavel's once more hers
but no one (whom she hasn't bought) concurs.

war-monger

Why Adelson backs Bolton, one can doubt
it might be 'cause he likes Trump's Muslim Ban
but--odds are--what it's really all about
he want's regime-change, this time in Iran.
It's not enough we killed Saddam Hussein;
his buddy Bibi means to call Trump's shots.
And neither feels the grieving mother's pain
when someone sends her son home in a box.
A world of experts Trump treats with disdain;
no egg-head's gonna be the one he'll choose.
No insight penetrates his shriveled brain;
Trump picks his inner circle from FauxNews.
The oligarchs' agenda's not our own
but Murdoch'd have us kneeling at this throne.

Dead Man Walking

Trump's never had a mind for consequence; 
he'll rationalize later what he chose.
And no one--not Ivanka, nor MikePence--
dares tell the emperor he's got no clothes.
His childhood must have sucked, to form such scar;
his thing for men in uniform ain't right.
But now he's paid an insult to H.R.
who won't go gently into that good night.
A noted strategist confronts a fool
and choice of weapon's his prerogative.
Spectators cheer the prospect of a duel,
uncaring if the losers die, or live.
A prospect that should scare the orange crook
McMaster's poised to write another book.

Blue Tide

Trump's demographic's dying, year by year;
he gets no traction with the nation's youth
who weren't steeped in Joe McCarthy's fear
and won't mistake his bigotry for Truth.
Millennials see through Tim Geithner's ploys.
Recapitalized banks may own us all
but they're awoke, and ready to make noise.
Let WallStreet eat the loss on its next fall.
Dead armadillos own the center-line
but there're no undecideds on the fence
triangulators will be left behind,
if they seek compromise with Trump, and Pence.
Big donors' pawns ain't gonna learn to ride
tomorrow heralds a Progressive tide.

bribery

Her Majesty's disposed to prosecute
Bob Mercer for his bribes, 'though overseas.
To dangle real-estate, or prostitute
gives all of Britain a bad name for sleaze.
Our FEC says workers on campaigns
must hold a green-card, if they're not from here.
But in the service of old Shit-for-Brains
such qualms of ethics blithely disappear.
They warned Steve Bannon, but he paid no heed.
The White House bid had only been a ruse
to build a brand, to feed the Donald's greed.
The very GOP's now poised to lose.
Another in his litany of crime
that hasn't--yet--been worth team Mueller's time.

mobsters II

binSalman  buffed up Jared's self-esteem
while pumping him for key intelligence
implying coyly they could be a team
benevolent in their world-dominance.
The list of cousins who might want him dead
convinced the princeling that he had to act
sweet pillow-talk to swap while they're in bed

he swallowed rumors as established fact.
binMuqrin's 'copter bit the dust in flames
implicit threat to daunt the royal brood.
The Ritz filled up as Jared named more names,
 with thumb-screws to establish the right mood.
Two greed heirs want more than daddy got
displaying ethics that would shock PolPot.

cute couple II

The Saudi prince took Jared by the hand
and set his preppy heart afluttering.
A captive vassal, at his lord's command
to think his boyfriend might soon be the king!
The names of cousins who might pose a threat
he passed along as token of his trust
a trifling crime for shoring up his bet
his money's on Mohammed, win or bust.
Qatari banks that blocked his forward path
as loans came due, and Jared felt the rub
must feel the awesome royal Saudi wrath.
Huge wet-dream for this passive skinny schlub.
Two scheming parasites on others' work
compete for global honors as top jerk.

puppetry

Bob Mercer stays in shadows, when he can
preferring that we see another's face
behind Trump lurks this humble, evil man
whose machinations handed him the race.
"Conspiracy!" as Clinton diagnosed
describes his venture, and it's duly vast.
But Mercer's too discreet to ever boast
and if he laughs, is 'cause he's sure he's last.
Steve Bannon interfaced between the twain
and stoked each ego, keeping them apart.
As soon as he'd cast off the Cruz campaign,
he trimmed his sails and took this putz to heart.
Competing masters tug the dummy's strings.
We'll know their names when Mueller's witness sings.

cute couple

The Saudi prince took Jared by the hand
and set his preppy heart afluttering.
A captive vassal, at his lord's command
to think his boyfriend might soon be the king!
The names of cousins who might pose a threat
he passed along as token of his trust
a trifling crime for shoring up his bet
his money's on Mohammed, win or bust.
Qatari banks that blocked his forward path
to bridge old loans as they were coming due
must feel the awesome royal Saudi wrath.
Huge wet-dream for this passive skinny Jew.
Two scheming parasites on others' work
compete for global honors as top jerk.

mobsters

binSalman  buffed up Jared's self-esteem
while pumping him for key intelligence
implying coyly they could be a team
benevolent in their world-dominance.
The list of cousins thinking of a coup
convinced the princeling that he had to act
when murmured sweetly by his favorite Jew
he swallowed rumors as established fact.
binMuqrin's 'copter bit the dust in flames
implicit threat to daunt the royal brood.
The Ritz filled up as Jared named more names,
 with thumb-screws to establish the right mood.
Two greed heirs want more than daddy got
displaying ethics that would shock PolPot.

Espionage Act

binSalman says his buddy, Jared shared
the names of princes likely to dispute
his claim, who'd press their cases, if they dared
if he would not pre-empt, and prosecute.
A toddler proud to wave his shiny toy
must not be given heavy armament;
no way Trump's son-in-law should still enjoy
the sensitive IP of government.
Two heirs to privilege, convinced they're hot,
conspiring how they'll make the world their own,
as if they'd earned the influence they've got,
and Destiny intends them for the throne.
Twin comic footnotes, in the eyes of Time,
believe they're heroes in their own wee minds.

not so crypto

Those Bitcoins others use for buying drugs,
big Russians use to launder ill-got gains
discretely snapping up fine Persian rugs
and grands chateaux in Malta, France, and Spain.
Corruption undermines the Kremlin walls
as wealth's ingathered to the few on top
But markets don't announce their climbs and falls,
or when the BitCoin bubble's gonna pop.
It's funding terror triggered NSA
surveillance, 'though your purpose may not match,
if cryptocurrency's the way you pay
expect your records all to be bycatch.
Extraordinary tools, meant for IS
will sweep up all your data, more or less.

Analytica

The Mercer-Bannon axis shows the strain
as each is linked to Alexander Nix
'twas less big data driving Trump's campaign,
and more Dick Nixon's school of dirty tricks.
These plumbers delved offshore their pirate lair
beyond the reach of Robert Mueller's writ.
But rule-of-law's got allies over there.
And Analytica's in British shit.
It's not the best of brains that Donald's got,
and not the platform one'd show off in town.
But Bannon manufactures kompromat;
where Trump can't soar, he'll tear the whole field down.
Elections were corrupted from abroad,
but Putin's prints are nowhere on this fraud.

laundry

Londongorod's afloat on stolen loot
that Putin's cronies hope won't all be found
when partnerships dissolve in rank dispute
they'll lose the Rubles, but still trust the Pound.
An empire's assets, sold off to the few
then confiscated in the People's name
the sort of scam an autocrat can do
and Putin brings rare passion to the game.
A hundred billion might be Putin's own
'though no one's sure where all the holdings are
he stashed them someplace stabler than his throne;
the Romanov's have nothing on this Tzar.
Prime real-estate, gold bullion, and rare gems
in LLCs along the misty Thames.

Churn III

The confirmation hearings never end
as Trump restocks his leaky cabinet.
He shuns the experts, looking for a friend
whom he'll piss off by harping on old debt.
They only took the office for the perks
and never dreamt to serve their fellow man
no "team of rivals", just a bunch of jerks
who'll rob the public any way they can.
Full forty scaramuccis, Rex slogged through
an engineer, ill-suited to the job.
It seemed the patriotic thing to do
to play the grown-up, shepherding Trump's mob.
Three years to go! If all persists this way,
we'll each be Secretaries--for a day.

Churn II

Rex Tillerson looked every inch the part,
and Condoleeza Rice thought he'd excel.
But Trump resents an underling who's smart;
each wished his counterpart would go to Hell.
The two brought scant credentials to their roles;
an engineer's an awkward fit at State
an insecure boss, grasping for control
were prone to clash, and not de-escalate.
Mike Pompeo's a creature of Charles Koch,
a Kansas fabricator of 'plane doors.
To head our diplomats, he'd be a joke;
he's heavily invested in more wars.
New cast can't rescue ratings for this show,
but bets are down on who's the next to go.

the churn

James Mattis still thinks sanctions must be strong
against the clique of Putin's oligarchs
and doesn't hesitate to say his boss is wrong
but his is not the voice to which Trump harks.
The general disdains ideologues
he deals in probabilities, and facts
and butts heads with the orange demagogue
who-right or wrong--wants always to attack.
The last adult to hold the boss' ear
who earned full clearance the old-fashioned way
sage councilor, Trump's unequipped to hear
might be relieved if he were fired today.
It's rumored that McMaster's out the door
for thinking that we shouldn't rush to war.

Rexit

Rex Tillerson's been cut, he's free to speak
about dysfunction on  the top-most shelf
a president who can't seem not to leak
has nobody to blame, if not himself.
Mike Pompeo's a creature of Charles Koch
without the gravitas of Condi's man.
for want of gag-reflex, he'll never choke
or titter at his boss' spray-can tan.
The least effective Secretary yet
has gutted the bureaucracy at State
but Pompeo's a worse-than-even bet
to make America a lot less great.
Trump's butler's watched as hundreds come, and go.
The competent ones shun this sordid show.

Rexit

The torture Cheney ordered, Haspel ran,
then blithely threw the evidence away.
Now, Trump's advancing someone else's plan
by making her director, CIA.
Mike Pompeo's whole resume's a hoax
engorged with contracts where no bids were weighed.
But he discretely services the Kochs.
And that's how this administration's played.
With Rexit, there's one less adult at State,
to tell Trump what he can't or what he can,
or what would make a nation good, or great;
Mike Pompeo's just not that kind of man.
Trump's butler watches hundreds come, and go
but only fools stay long on his shit-show.

blood season

Appealing to the basest racist base,
his patron Putin comments on the news
not to imply Trump didn't win the race
but--if there's meddling--blame it on the Jews.
Election year in Russia's turning black
corruption long ago dimmed what was Red
what dissidents his GreenMen haven't whacked
keep finding novel ways to wind up dead.
Twin autocrats, straight out of Orwell's text
fuel old conspiracies of the Far Right.
It takes  no genius to divine what's next;
they'll blame their crimes on someone who can't fight.
Those who have eyes, see where he's coming from
with Easter, come new calls for a pogrom.

Vayekhel

Obsessing on each ornament's details,
our energies are focused on the path.
Unchannelled, we'd run swiftly off the rails,
and thousands died to mollify God's wrath.
Each mortise, and each tenon must align
to build the frame the weavings hang upon.
The set, and setting perfectly divine
to sanctify our midst with the mishkan.
All eyes avert from Aaron's cultic gaffe.
He's designated; none can take his place.
The rings and things not smelted for the calf
repurposed now, to save his priestly face.
For Moses, one last sacerdotal role
before the cohanim assume control.

leverage

Trump's tariffs could provoke a global crash
through chronic drag, or counter-strokes acute.
Less Trade means everybody's got less cash,
like in the bad old days of Hawley-Smoot.
A hundred years of economic thought
--on tap if he would just consult the Fed--
could school him, if their counsel had been sought
but Trump takes counsel only in his head.
The WTO sits, it's poised to judge
what's indefensible, and what's just fair.
But Trump's in dudgeon, bent upon his grudge.
And peaceful resolution's a faint prayer.
Incurious of all that's gone before
Trump seems intent on launching a TradeWar. 

take care

When Eric Holder files to press a suit
the stars must have aligned for this one night;
his DoJ disdained to prosecute
outrages on our fundamental rights.
Scott Walker thought he'd pocket two House seats,
or hold them open for a later date.
No Democrat can win, when none competes
but law precludes that such an office waits.
Wisconsin's gerrymander got struck down
and GOP control there's in retreat.
It's governor's a sad, ham-fisted clown
who plays for time, but can't stop this defeat.
Now, Holder moved to act, not just exhort
perchance, the speech he gives will be in court.

compensating

Trump whines America needs a parade
like every tin-pot thug and potentate
as if the world's impressed by his charade
believing that's what makes a nation "great".
Now, Putin boasts his missiles rule the skies;
no shield can thwart them, once they've left their base
inciting huge expense with kopeck lies.
There is no winner in this stupid race.
De-escalation's hard to sell to boys
whose hormones often overwhelm their brain
so easily seduced by shiny toys,
concerned they might look weak, if they act sane.
One's lean and mean, one's flabby and obese
and neither's man enough to keep the Peace.

inexorable

Paul Manafort's conviction seems ordained
September finds him in the dock, alone
the swagger, while he plundered the Ukraine
is fled, now he's a weak spot of his own.
Rick Gates demurred to take his boss' fall;
it's not his neck extended for the ax.
Once Mueller's made one breach in this stonewall
the competition's on to cough up facts.
If Papadopoulos has files to bring
that justify the leniency he got
we've found the levers to make Mike Flynn sing
no honor binds the underlings Trump bought.
The slimiest swamp creature whom Trump hired
may be the one who gets the whole lot fired.