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Sunday, February 22, 2026

Hierarchies

     Physiological 
Air and breathing 
Water 
Food 
Sleep 
Clothing 
Shelter 
Automatic drives 
for balanced state 
(Homeostasis) 
     Safety 
Security of Body 
Health 
Family 
Employment 
Resources 
Property toys necessities
     Love and Belonging 
Family 
Meaningful relationships 
Sense of Connection 
     Esteem 
Confidence 
Self esteem 
Respect 
Status 

Smell 
Sight 
Taste 
Hearing 
Touch 
Brain memory

Books language
Films imagery
Theatre
Dance 
Music 
Plastic arts 

Exercise
Sports participation 
Hobbies 

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Transparency; or, How Did We Read Him...? Let Us Count The Ways.

(At every appearance 
of the word 'read' in 
the verses below --
except the final one -- 
that word should be 
pronounced /red/.)

We read him 
like a failing New York Times 
best-selling book. 
     We read him 
like a bible. (Did he even 
take a look...?)
     We read him 
like a scientific treatise 
sans its math, 
     or a manual 
advising how one curbs 
psychotic wrath.
     We read him 
like a midnight tweetstorm 
listing all his hates. 
     We read him 
like the writs of pardon 
sign'd for MAGA mates. 
     We read him -- 
although he himself 
has never ever read. 
     Now, read him 
like an epitaph: "Hic jacet..." 
('Cuz he's dead.)

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Material for new poem 
Persons 
Ali
Dali
Halle
Kali
Molly 
Macauley  
Ollie 
Polly 
Pasquale 
Solĺy 
Svengali 
Wally



Places 
Bali 
Denali 
Mali 
Pali 
Raleigh

brolly Bengali bialy
collie 
dolly 
Eurale
folly finale 
golly 
holly 
jolly  
Kerale
lob lolly 
natale Naphtali
poly- 
quale
Somali
thali trolley 
volley 



Laura Richards Redux

Last Friday, 
my rhinocerus 
encountered 
a philocerus. 
Or, rather, 
some philosopher 
confronted 
my rhinocepher. 
(It seems I've 
mispronounced each word, 
which makes my story 
sound absurd.)
In any case, 
my rhino's horn 
harpoon'd 
this poor philosophorn.
The more he tried 
to pull it out,
the louder scream'd 
philosophout. 
I feel I'd best 
cut short my tale 
of rhinosort 
and philosale. 

Next time: 
The Octopus 
and the Pocketcomb

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Jackels, Coyotes and Trumpotami

Each lifts a leg to take a whiz, 
thus marking stuff each claims is his. 
Each drops his drawers to take a pee.
(That's territoriality.) 
Each lowers trou to take a leak. 
Their wills leave nothing to the meek. Each wags his weenie, zips his fly...
...nor never stops to wonder why. 

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Room For One More...? Eight Questions

Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Should its foursome of founders
make space...?
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Would its granite withstand 
one more face...? 
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Should he soil 
that historical place...? 
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...?
Has the guy no shame  -- 
even a trace...?
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Would the move be approved 
by his base...? 
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Maybe Teddy or Abe 
he'd replace...?
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Should we scratch Tom or George, 
just in case...? 
Is there room on Mt. Rushmore 
for Donald...? 
Can the nation absorb 
more disgrace...? 

Boo Beyond Bunny; or, Jeer Your Own Super Bowl Half Time Entertainment

Attention, MAGA malcontents! 
Here's breaking news for you. 
To all who'd boo Bad Bunny:
now there's other blokes to boo. 

It happens there's a raft of rappers 
waiting in the wings. 
To jeer them, sir, you'll much prefer.
(Your disapproval sings!)

Boo Awful Armadillo. 
Boo Beastly Bandicoot. 
Boo Clueless Capybara.
(Boo Disgusting Dog, to boot.) 

Boo Evil Earwig, Foul Flamingo,  
Ghastly Gekko. (Whew!)
Boo Horrible Hyena. 
(I'm not skipping Gruesome Gnu.) 

Boo Impossible Iguana. 
Boo Kitschy Kinkajou. 
(Were I to skip Jerkwater Jackel, 
what would be your view...?) 

Boo Lousy Lemur, Miserable 
Mongoose...so it goes.
Boo No-good Narwhal -- he's the 
dude who sports that gnarly nose. 

Boo Outlaw Otter, Putrid Parrot,
Questionable Quail.
Boo Rotten Rodent, Sullied Snake...
(Is Sully out of jail...?) 

Boo Trashy Tadpole, 
Unrepentant Urchin, Vicious Vole.
Boo Wanton Wildebeest -- 
that craven creature lacks a soul. 

Boo Xenolithic Xoloitzcuitli, to be  sure. 
Boo Yellow Yak. 
Boo Z-grade Zorse.
I'll NOT Kid Rock endure.


Wednesday, February 11, 2026

At Home with the Sprats



Drat! The Sprat! 
ErSprats 
Jack's children...? All brats. 
Minnesota Sprats 
Old Possom's Book 
   of Practical Sprats 
Polyunsaturated Sprats 
Sprätzle 
Sprata Morgana 
Spratboy Slim 
Sprate, a Coca- Cola product 
Spratfall 
Sprattipuffs and Thinnifers
Sprat's Domino 
Sprats in the Belfrey 
The Sprat in the Hat 
The Spratzenjammer Kids 
Tortilla Sprat 
White Wine Spratzer

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Frivolousity! Or, POTUS the Perpetual Plaintive: An ABC of Defendants in Some Pending Drumpf-Filed Lawsuits

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf's suing an ape 
who, array'd in a cape, 
tied Drumpf's hands 
to Drumpf's glans 
with electrical tape. 
   Drumpf's suing a bear 
who set fire to Drumpf's hair. 
(When did POTUS 
first notice...? 
"Don, Jr. would stare.")

Drumpf's suing a cow 
who concocted, somehow,
to add lint 
(just a hint) 
into Donald's Kung Pao. 
   Suing, too, a dugong
(though Drumpf knows this is wrong) 
who discuss'd 
with disgust 
how Drumpf's ties are too long. 

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf's suing an eel 
who Drumpf deem'd 'no big deal' 
when it noted 
(then gloated): 
"Drumpf's hand's never healed." 
    Drumpf's suing a fox 
for the way that beast mocks 
Donald's weight 
and his gait --
how Drumpf back-'n'-forth rocks.

Drumpf's suing a gnu
and its fourth-estate crew 
for reporting  
Drumpf's snorting 
when napping. (It's true.)
     Drumpf's suing a hen 
for purloining a pen 
Donald used. 
(Don's accused 
it of pilfering ten.) 

Drumpf sues. 

Sues, as well, an iguana.
Says Don: "'Cuz I wanna  
deport 
that sad sort 
on a boat to Botswana."
   Drumpf's suing a joey 
for billions, although he 
claims roos 
post 'fake news' --
"...plus they're swishy 'n' showy."

Drumpf's suing these koi
who, once girl-child and boy, 
now prefer
'him' 'n' 'her.' 
(They so-o-o-o-o Donald annoy.)
   Drumpf's suing a lynx 
who insists Drumpf's shit stinks. 
"I've best words
and best turds" -- 
or so Dumpty Drumpf thinks. 

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf's suing a moose. 
Donald's case, most abstruse, 
claims the beast, 
while deceased, 
voted...twice! "Fraud!! Abuse!!!"
   Drumpf's suing a newt -- 
a most frivolous suit. 
Cash or cheque...? 
What the heck...
just as long as there's loot.

Drumpf's suing these owls. 
When Drumpf spots 'em, he howls: 
"Scumbag birds!"
(Donald's words.) 
"Un-American fowls!"
   Drumpf's suing a parrot.
Drumpf's suit's without merit. 
Drumpf heard 
that the bird 
hates Drumpf's hair: just can't bear it. 

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf's suing a quail, 
wants to lock her in jail. 
Donald's ICE 
nick'd her...twice, 
but we help'd her make bail.
   Drumpf's suing a rat 
for its tweet "Drumpf's Too Fat!" 
Likes...? It got 
quite a lot -- 
more than Drumpf's tweets begat.

Drumpf's suing a snake, 
though there's little at stake: 
The snake stared; 
Don got scared... 
(The whole case is opaque.)
     Drumpf's suing a tern 
and its second wife, Fern. 
Judge got piss'd: 
case dismissed!
Live 'n' learn. Live 'n' learn. 

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf's suing an urchin 
arrested while perchin' 
atop 
Drumpf's pro shop. 
For lost balls it was searchin.'
   Drumpf's suing a vole; 
claims the animal stole 
votes by mail. 
Verdict...? Jail 
In some foreign black hole.

Drumpf's suing these whales.
But my 1-to-10 scales 
say the odds 
are their pods 
will make sure the suit fails.
    Drumpf's suing a xyst, 
though his lawyers insist 
that Drumpf's suit's
all but moot, 
as Drumpf's xysts don't exist. 

Drumpf sues. 

Drumpf is suing these yaks 
for their rampant attacks 
on the lunches 
Drumpf munches -- 
Drumpf's fries 'n' Big Macs.
   Drumpf will sue the whole zoo --
which includes me 'n' you 
who dislike 
Drumpf's whole Reich. 
(And, Drumpf notes, we vote blue... 

...so he'll sue.)

Friday, February 6, 2026

Uly Poe Channels Pearl Buck ; or, Coming In On A Wang Lung And A Prayer

There'll dawn one day 
I'll not ignore, 
like none the world's 
e'er seen before. 
'Twill shake the world
unto its core: 
that day the Donald 
breathes no more. 

His mind will've slither'd 
'round the bend. 
No nightly nonsense tweets 
he'll send
nor longer will 
the Trump name trend 
as MAGAmundi
nears its end. 

The sun will rise 
in rose array. 
And I will rise
(as is my way)
to pray what ev'ry 
dawn I pray: 
"Today's the day...?
Today's the day!" 

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Look Who's Talking: A Prose Poem in Four Brief Scenes


Exterior. A dusky wood. Night. 
Middle-aged writer Dante Alighieri 
avoids a trio of hungry beasts with 
aid from the Roman poet Virgil. The 
pair argue back and forth as the 
author of the Aeneid finally concedes:
"Let me, let me...oh, alright, then: 
YOU tell it." 

Exterior. A river bank. Day. 
Teenage runaway Huckleberry Finn 
eases a small raft into the swift 
current with the aid of fellow fugitive 
Jim, an adult Negro. The pair argue 
back and forth as Miss Watson's field 
hand finally concedes:
"Let me, let me...oh, alright, then: 
YOU tell it." 

Interior. The Spouter Inn. Dusk. 
A motley collection of seafarers
surrounds a small table at which 
novice harpoonist Ishmael sits 
opposite an enormous white sperm 
whale. The pair argue back and forth 
as the gigantic leviathan finally 
concedes:
"Let me, let me...oh, alright, then: 
YOU tell it." 

Interior. An upper room. Suppertime. 
Hebrew preacher Jesus of Nazereth 
celebrates a Passover meal with his 
disciples, including future evangelist 
Luke. The pair argue back and forth 
as the Son of God finally concedes:
"Let me, let me...oh, alright, then: 
YOU tell it."

Hierarchies

     Physiological  Air and breathing  Water  Food  Sleep  Clothing  Shelter  Automatic drives  for  balanced  state  (Homeostasis)       Sa...