"BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?"

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?*
We elected a man
who told us
all things
would be better
and he could do it alone.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
He wore a red cap
and used a helicopter
and fleet of cars
to wherever he went
and there was great excitement.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
Before he came
we worked hard
on our jobs
and loved our land.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
We helped keep
our waters clean
our skies free of pollution
our wetlands free of development
and our streets and roads
trash free.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
We worked
side by side
with all people
studied with all children
cared for those with disabilities
and tried to reverse long-held injustices
even when he told us some of us were unworthy
he refused to tell us his worth.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
We survived
floods, storms and intolerance
and he came to console us
but took away the laws
that would have helped us.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
He shows affection
for people, children and families
murdered by guns
but will not encourage Congressional
Representatives to sign laws
to reduce and register
the number of weapons
available in states and the nation.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
Now our children, parents and grandparents
sing out in a chorus of anguish
he "tweets" his reply
he leaves a trail of
state, national and international documents
that took years of study, planning and negotiations
he claims to have no merit and wipes them away.


For all this
BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

_____________________________

"BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?"
Was a song of World War II written in 1930
it asked why have we squandered our nation?
With apology to Lyricist E.Y."YIP" Harburg
and Composer Jay Gormey.

FINDING INSPIRATION IN CHANGING TIMES

After dinner last night, Don and I walked out into the dark night.  The sky was clear of clouds except for the brightly shinning half-moon over head. We followed a path to a small group of people who were huddled about telescopes.* They were untroubled by our presence and invited us to join them.  We peered through a number of different telescopes and learned in detail what we saw. Next to me there was an elderly women seated in her walker waiting for her turn at the telescope.  People of all ages milled about and spoke in hushed voices.

When my turn came at the telescope I was excited and awed.  I was able to see the craters on the moon.  The colorful bands surrounding Saturn were visual.  Venuses small surrounding planets were visible and were explained to me as creating a picture similar to what our astronauts saw when they looked back at Planet Earth from the moon.

Each day people around the world live with similar issues.  Issues like gun control, human and creature migration, pollution and the abuse we perpetrate upon each other and the environment.  Often our patience and tolerance for others is short and we begin to forget the significance of law in our personal behavior when our leaders represent greed and corruption.  As hard as it maybe, there is a great need to begin to deal with honesty and justice in States across this country and to try to understand the changes we may need to make for our own life style.

It is in this spirit and with great humility that I extend good wishes to my readers and their families for the New Year and the holidays which follow in 2019.

Beverly

*This custom is often offered by Astronomical and Science Centers
in States across the Country.