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 

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.)

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. 

(I fear I've mispronounced each word, 

which makes my story sound absurd.)

In any case, my rhino's horn 

harpoon'd the poor philosophorn.

The more he tried to pull it out,

the louder scream'd philosophout. 

Perhaps I'd best cut short this tale 

of rhinosort and philosale. 

Next time: 

The Octopus 

and the Pocketcomb

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. 

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,

here's a bunch more blokes to boo. 

It happens there's a raft of rappers 

waiting in the wings. 

You'll much prefer to jeer them, sir.

(What joy your hatred brings!)

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 

Moose...and 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...

...or is he still in jail...?

Boo Trashy Tadpole, 

Unrepentant Urchin, Vicious Vole.

Boo Wanton Wildebeest -- 

each craven creature lacks a soul. 

Boo Xenolithic Xoloitzcuitli, to be  sure. 

Boo Yellow Yak. 

Boo Z-grade Zack.

I'll NOT Kid Rock endure.

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

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.)

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!"