"...shall preside..."

Chief Justice Roberts hopes we'll disregard
his role presiding in this travesty.
to reconcile the Senate Rules is hard

with what judicial process ought to be.

Two dozen lawyers heard no evidence

as if to do so were a waste of time.

They're disinclined to trade Trump in for Pence

although 'twere fitting for his spree of crime.

No check, no balance holds the Donald's rein

psychiatrists attest he's run amok.
But even when our president's insane

it's plain McConnell doesn't give a fuck.
Enlightenment's experiment's a fail

if we can't send this criminal to jail.

tainted

Chief Justice Roberts doesn't want to rule
on what's admissible, and must be heard.
Each side portrays him as the other's tool
although that notion's patently absurd.
The Senate gelds itself, as if to check
Executives were not its sacred writ.
A despot's boot on our collective neck
grinds voters' faces in a world of shit.
Tripartite government bears the attacks
as week by week, what had been bad gets worse.
What Caesar seizes, he ain't giving back
and Trumpty craves the Power of the Purse.
A Unified Executive's the thing
our Founders fought to rid us of a king.

"The time has come" the walrus said "to talk"

John Bolton doesn't want to go to jail;
he told Fiona Hill to write notes down.
A trial would find he left a paper trail
disowning policies set by this clown.
John told the House he wouldn't testify--
unless they'd send subpoenas to coerce.
His loyalty's not wholly to one guy
who broke the Persian deal, and made it worse.
Now, Senators opine they ought to hear
first-hand what had transpired behind closed doors.
Though little Bolton says is wholly clear,
he's quite irate Iran's not yet at war.
The Senate--scared to actually try
a president--has yet to tell us why.

"unusual weather we're having, ain't it?"

Untimely Spring as snow dissolves in rain
While Aussies suffer unremitting heat
The Polar Vortex won't stay in its lane.
Al Gore was right; we've joined him in defeat.
The WeatherService can extrapolate
the patterns that were normal years ago.
But greenhouse-gases broke the steady-state
and salt-flats crack that should be under snow.
Next week, the powerlines may all contract
and stress the phonepoles as they all draw tight
winebottles spit their corks out, or just crack
as Arizonans shiver in the night.
Miami doesn't even have to freeze
Before iguanas thud like hail from trees.

Acharei Mot

cohane gadol grants s'michah to one goat
the other's blood must purify us all
the choice between them's made by goralot
which is exalted, and which takes the fall
since Titus, there's no altar and no rite
our prayers must substitute for blood and flame
now sin is "crimson" and innocence "white"
and we've no priests to expiate our shame
each week, we delve for meaning in the text
unchanging while our history rolls by
and camels that the thinking mind rejects
allegorize to pass a needle's eye
what's found and what's projected's less than clear
we'll read it with new eyes, same time next year     

Cui bono?

Lev Parnas has a sordid song to sing,
about who stands to lose, and who to gain;
How Trump aspired to make himself a king
extorting criminal help from Ukraine.
Corrupting policy for private ends,
Trump knew Zelensky's up against a wall.
What only Congress has the right to spend
Executives must break the law to stall.
Yovanovich, and Taylor can attest,
Trump held back aid for private benefit.
What Congress meted out is no 'request';
Trump's duty-bound to see Ukraine gets it.
The "drug-deal" Bolton's eager to disown
was documented on Trump's mobile-phone.

...but neither are you free to refrain from beginning

Each January, rabbis organize
To celebrate the life of MLK.
A ringing voice raised up to prophesize
sent to a nation that had lost its way.
To get arrested, year by weary year,
engaging battles Grandma thought she'd won,
makes tangible what's not enough to hear;
Pursuit of Justice never wholly done.
King knew, most people were inclined to shirk
the task of legislating what they feel.
Good people have to get engaged, and work
for our republic's promise to be real.
The Torch of Freedom's insubstantial beam
glows in the heart of us who dream the Dream.