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Poems and Thoughts by Frank Maurer

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Finance

Fundraising: Raising Remunerations for a Good Cause opus 53

How many years I have toiled raising funds--
Telling many about the plight of this and that:
A myriad of creatures, their habitats, and needy students who study them.
How does one go out there and ask?
What makes one wish or dare to do such?

The Cause; -- of course the Cause.
If chosen well, there is no shame,
But rather joy that another sees what I see
And feels what I feel and offers something towards the goal.

If one strives for something positive
And is able to bring another along,
There is no shame, no reluctance, no hesitation.
And in the end, I hear an angel gently crying "bravo"!

Texted Thoughts to a Well Digger's Wife opus 96

Spots of mud remain everywhere,
Reminding me of your great endeavour,
To find that precious element of life.
Please use a portion of your remunerations
To do good works for our future world.

Humans, as Other Primates, Must Have Leaders, Idols, Stars, Heroes opus 183

It is rare for a human to dispose of its heroes.
Leaders lead us in and out of successful exploits.
Stars are great until they disappoint us with some crime or misdemeanor.
Idols are swooned over until we find out what really occurs behind the scenes.
Heroes are often comic characters until the creator is bored and disposes of them.
Even after a leader commits crimes, many followers will tenaciously adhere.

Beyonce asked that 'Renaissance' tour attendees
Wear silver during the Virgo season for her 42nd birthday.
Many fans say they already have purchased outfits;
Some can't afford such special attire; "We won't! She doesn't own us."
"Swifties have the option to wear what they want."
This is the human problem of needing an idol.
(And there are a few who actually see through it all!)
In the meantime, Beyonce is making millions and laughing all the way to the bank.

White Boards opus 211

What have we come up with now??
Instead of government controlling extravagant killer guns,
Society, in our Republic, must always attempt defensive methods
To protect our children and their teachers in schools!
Entrepreneurs are now trying to gain 'benevolent' profits,
By producing a teaching white board to be used in schools
Which can be transformed into a bullet-proof shield
So that teachers and pupils might hide themselves,
Waiting for (Texas) reluctant 'peace' officers
To decide just when they might invade a 'dying' classroom,
With THEIR protective shields enabling their safety,
Rather than quickly moving in to restore sanity!

Kim from Montana opus 215

And then there was Kim, who came out of the absolute blue.
An email stating she was coming from Montana,
Wishing to meet me for a brief moment as she passed through.
She was a development officer for Vital Ground,
A land trust working on, especially Montana bear habitat.
Why me I asked--"I have sent only a dollar now and then."
She said, "I wanted to know who this dollar donor was--
Did some research, read some poems."
And her mind somehow concluded I was A Renaissance Man!

She arrived to visit for a brief hour,
Promised coffee in hand from Starbucks.
What a magical few minutes with a counterpart,
Who had to leave ever too soon to meet with real donors!
How nice it would be to stay in touch
And experience a moment of magic now and again.

A Thought for a Capable Woman opus 233

Cynthia, always professional, kept me apprised of every step in the progress towards our wonderful and happy result. I was sad to see my beloved land be sold, but working with Cynthia took some of the pain out of the process.

A Tiny Gift opus 237

I was ready to walk into the pet store
To purchase crickets for my wonderful Bearded lizard.
And there she was crouched and wrapped in a blanket.
I stopped and said hello and "I don't carry cash."

"Oh, I have money. Would you get me some food--
Down at Jack's Restaurant, just down there."

I said, "Sure. I don't need money."
And wrote her food list on my wrist.
It was cold and rainy. I was ready to do something good.
Returning with her food and beverage,
I handed her the bag with the goodies.

After purchasing the eight (!) crickets
I then passed by her enjoying my gift.
We exchanged smiles and said goodbye.
I was overwhelmed, realizing there are so many like this.

A Maple Syrup Thank You opus 241

Ah, dear woman,
With liquid sweetness
Flowing into my widened mouth,
You are sweetening ME,
So that greater remuneration
Will flow into your company's coffers.

Many thanks for the
Thickened juices of Acer saccharum.

(An email sent to Monique, whose New England
company sent me maple syrup as a thank you gift.)

The Position of the Eagles' Wings opus 268

You have heard, perhaps from me, about the debate
Between Jefferson and Franklin concerning the eagle vs the turkey?
Well, since Jefferson won, many of our coins have eagles!
If you have 'numismatically' studied our US coins,
Upon which are several eagles--
Have you noticed the position of these eagles' wings?

1858: Morgan dollars--wings outstretched to show strength?--
Even though the first minted number of tail feathers
Were even and not odd?
Civil War pending. Perhaps hopeful defiance?

1887:  'Flying Eagle' one cent--wings beautifully outstretched--
Hopeful for a peaceful thought after the Civil War? But, did not last long.

1921+:  The Peace Dollar, minted for only six days in that year--
Wings beautifully folded in hope of no further wars?
Then continued on for an abbreviated amount of time.

1932+:  Or our quarter with George Washington on the obverse
And the unimaginative eagle on the reverse.
Was this because of the devastating Great Depression
Or had we just lost the excitement surrounding our founding fathers
And created only a stereotyped eagle?
The mood of a country may be depicted through its coins.
There are so many more. Susse or ferret them out!
{Know the derivation of those two words? Just wondering.}

History is everywhere for the astute to behold!

Heat--The Silent Killer opus 344

Our farm workers are laboring in rising temperatures.
When will they completely revolt to defend their lives
In conditions of blistering heat
While the rest of us are consuming our nourishment
In artificially cooled and comfortable environs?
Do we truly appreciate and are we grateful
That these invincible workers labor on?

The basic question, though,
Is why would certain (e.g. FL and TX) governors
Sign laws to counter efforts
Of more humane members in their governments
To allow temporary shade and water and rest when needed
For harvesters of our food, toiling over the heated earth?
One governor is caught blurting out
If heat remedies "are enacted here and there, it will cause
A lot of problems 'down there' for our farming businesses."

We still, sadly, value our fellow persons on a scale.

The Scottish Bank opus 349

Every time I go into a bank, I remember an experience in Scotland.
When Scotland was forced (1770) to join England--the new 'Britain'--
They were allowed to maintain their healthcare,
Educational system, and print their own currency.
The English were always very 'particular' about receiving Scottish notes
And often shamed people who used them in England.
A father, sending his child off to school in England
Was meticulous to make sure all the accompanying notes
Were English to avoid embarrassment and delays.

On that 'note', I shall continue to relate my tale.
In a small town in Scotland,
I needed to exchange my Traveler's Checks for notes.
Britain uses both notes, theoretically, as completely equivalent.
As the teller was counting out my 'pound-refund',
I watched carefully if she would mix the notes--English and Scottish.
Sure enough, the mixed pile built up and at that point,
I called out loudly, "No, please, I want only Scottish notes!"
Banking progress ceased for a moment and my surrounding patrons
Immediately understood that this 'foreigner'
Understood their historic humiliation.
There were smiles and nods in my direction, conveying their gratitude!
I left the bank, fulfilled that I had made
A small positive mark on an oppressed people.

We are having a Telephone Speech Crisis opus 359

I am almost 83 in August.
I have raised millions of dollars by telephone for wildlife and open space.
I also receive hundreds of calls asking for something
Or informing me of an appointment or something informational.

The new trend is to employ many less expensive--cost cutting operators,
Most recruited from Central or South America, or more, from the Philippines,
Who do not often speak clearly or succinctly.
The many North American operators are mostly young female citizens,
Who are, over time, speaking more and more rapidly.
What I am observing over my many years,
Is that the foreign operators are not well trained in English
And that the citizen women uncoached operators speak so rapidly,
One has a true difficulty in following and comprehending their message,
Let alone catch their mangled name at the introduction.
As for the doctor or company for which they are calling
These pivot people are well trained in their professions and how to speak.
So my basic question is why on earth are 'professional' telephoners
Not trained properly in speech, speed of delivery, and clarity?
Actors on stage must learn proper speech and delivery.
Why are telephone informers not groomed
To properly execute their message as well?

My Chickens and Chez Panisse Restaurant opus 403

I started my polyculture 'Research Farm' in Davis, California, in 1978.
I had completed teaching and research
In Turkey; Lesotho, Africa; and Uppsala, Sweden.
I had no vehicle yet, so I bought delivered animals from newspaper ads.
After a year or two, I began raising white Cornish Cross chickens en masse.
(I also raised various ducks, turkeys, and Embden geese.)
With incubators and divided areas in my barn,
I started chicks, delivered through the Post Office,
(A practice started, I believe, by Benjamin Franklin, himself!)
In weekly groups of 100 day-olds.
For the chickens, my market was the famous
Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California.
The owner, Alice Waters, had created 'California Cuisine',
Utilizing a restaurant garden just outside her back door.
As her restaurant grew, she sent out 'Foragers' to suss out product.

One day, such a Forager appeared on my farm.
He had heard about my poultry and asked for a 'sample'.
I gave him a bird to return to Berkeley to test it out.
A few weeks later, after I learned they had done blind tests
With Rocky-the-Range, a Pennsylvania product, and my bird,
They wished to buy my birds (50!) each week.
I agreed. We captured birds in darkness each Monday night--5 pounds live, only!
Tuesday morning I loaded up the caged birds at 5:30 AM and drove to Stockton.
There I unloaded the group, off to slaughter as they came out of the cages,
Chatted with the slaughterhouse owner concerning future loads,
And returned to my Davis farm (70 minutes) to commence the day's work.
This went on for about 20 years with my lazy white 'free range' birds,
When I learned of a red Cornish Cross (all were secret hybrids)
Which had been 'discovered' in Germany by a Canadian group.
There were finally two producers in California--one of which I chose.
I told the restaurant my plan, as I had discovered
That the red variety truly walked around in our summer heat.
They agreed and I changed over my whole flock,
Which took several weeks of raising up the new 'reds'.

Well, things went along for a few weeks with the new group,
When I suddenly received a call to come and talk.
The chefs found the meat of the reds was too firm!
They wanted the old 'whites' back again.
I was in a quandary, deciding what to do.
They were advertising a 'free range' product
And I knew that the reds were exactly that.
The meat was firmer, of course, because they ranged much more!
For me, it was an ethical question in advertising.
Even though it was very difficult for me business-wise,
I had no choice but to stop producing for Chez Panisse Restaurant.

A small business, especially farming,
Is always with a perpetual challenge to survive!

Sports - To Be or Not To Be opus 441

I am no great follower of sports.
I see them on the one hand
As a human diversion, watching grown people,
Usually making several million dollars,
While batting a ball from place to place;
Often, in some sports,
To pound the opponent almost to death
And, as we well know,
Delayed death has also sometimes occurred.

On the other hand, the excitement and surge of adrenalin,
May divert the aggression of some people
Which might well avert physical harm on fellow humans--
Although it is well known that spousal abuse
Occasionally occurs following a lost football game.

Whatever might be the correct hypothesis,
Sports are here to stay, making millions for some
And filling some obvious human need,
The huge support manifested by the crowds.

Shortsightedness? opus 462

We recently voted for our own personal pocketbooks--
But have we opened a greater Pandora's Box,
Far beyond anything most would imagine?
How might Adams and Hamilton have argued this one?

A Christmas Story opus 484

Some scholars say that Christmas
Should be celebrated in the Spring,
When Jesus was actually born--
They deduced this from the, then, star formations.

Be that as it may, a question does arise:
The Three Wise Men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Very valuable gifts, even in that time.
What happened to those gifts; where did they go?

Did the innkeeper come out and see the commotion,
And demanded a larger fee, even for a stable manger?
Was it tucked away for future use?
Did Joseph invest it in his carpentry business?
Was it robbed from them on their way home?
Was it donated to the poor who surrounded them?
So many questions, of which I had never before considered.

Well, we can ponder just what the son of god
And his family actually did with all that wealth.
Hopefully, at least, they did not invest it
With some greedy politician, ready to use for his own ends!

Tariffs--A Remedy for All Things? opus 511

We are told that tariffs will fill our coffers.
The truth is that tariffs are paid for by the receiving country;
Definitely not the country sending the product.
Any funds received by the 'tariffing' country
Are paid for by the citizens, who contribute
To the increased price of each item.
Prices will go up to cover the tariff and the tariff 'income'
Will go, in addition, into the treasury of the tariffer.
Will those citizens learn they are paying for this new 'tax'?
One more deception for what is really, actually occurring.

Possibly True? opus 545

Is it possibly true
That the richest person
Can wield such power
That by dictating
The cessation of funds,
Thousands of children
Depending on supplemental food
And life-saving medications
Will actually die during his watch?
It is unconscionable that this
Is actually occurring with his cognisance.

A Fortunate Old Man opus 546

I have many memories of 'good' and 'bad':
It is all relative.
I have reasonable health.
I have warm or cool shelter--
Depends on the season.
I have nourishment--
Recycled, roadkill, entomophagous, or deluxe.
I have activities to keep my mind astute--
Conservation efforts, writing, fundraising,
Discourse with those who wish to engage;
Tending and feeding my animals--
From fish (Bettas), to bird (emu),
To reptile (Bearded Lizards), to mammal (Angus calf):
I have them all--my constant companions.
I have occasional friendly visitors
Who gift me bits of wonderful food
And to some, in return, I donate some remuneration
For various student and conservation causes;
But, most profoundly, my two boys (men),
Who check in on me, converse with me, help me,
And keep my faculties honed to sharpness.
It could be far worse.

Tariffs on Chicken Feet?? opus 560

At present, we are diving up and down economically,
As a result of the singular thinking of our second-time repeat leader.
Our farmers depend on a world trade which maintains stability.
Meddling too much in that agricultural trade-stability
Results in unstable pricing and loss of markets to other countries.
Well, ok, but how do chicken feet fit in to all this chaos?
Tariffs on chicken meat are clearly understood,
But with this meat are feet--attached thereto!
One country only, which consumes and adores these is China.
Even in our own country, chicken feet are slipped in via their restaurants.
Ironic, that our chief tariff competitor is China,
The very major consumer and importer of our chicken feet!

Playing Chess with Tariffs opus 563

Well, at this moment, we have tariffs flying in and out--
A frantic display of minimal planning wielded by outrageous power.
In the latest round (4th?). electronics are spared the tariff-tax,
While our farmers and their products are left in the fray.
Interesting that our leaders spare electronics,
While leaving farm products and food on the shelf (or not)
To languish for our population--
Are we really able to ingest electronics?
Our addiction to the latter, may starve us with neglect of the farmers!

Chlorinated Chickens! opus 564

Did you know that butchered US chickens are bathed in a chlorine solution?
This procedure is done to hygienically cleanse the bodies of possible Salmonella.
The EU and Britain have conducted surveys and found 80% reject such US chickens.
Concerning food poisoning, statistics show it is seven times more likely
To get ill from food in the US than in the UK.
The European agricultural centers emphasize that disinfecting poultry
Is a way, chemically, to mask food safety in the US.
Basically, Europe relies on 'pre-harvesting' interventions with living animals,
Including vaccination and various types of feed additives,
While the US focuses on chemicals and other methods
To eliminate pathogens once the animal has been slaughtered.
Such different approaches, preparing one of our most popular and common foods!

Exaggeration or Untruth? opus 583

Two political parties recently vied against each other,
Both claiming reduced food prices for their public.
Now the party presently in power have touted
That 'prices are down'; even eggs are now 400% reduced in price!
Actually, egg prices have fallen by only 67%.
Many other food prices also remain higher than they were previously.
Do we, the public, take these continual claims with a grain of salt,
Or realize that there is a continual shift towards a new reality?

An Unintended Holiday Consequence opus 597

Tariffs are slowly (?) seeping into our society and economy.
China, the recipient of many tariffs, has this year pulled a 'fast one',
Or better, we have pulled the 'fast one' on ourselves!
For the 2026 US 250th anniversary, when fireworks are a paramount item,
Tariffs now at 30% and possibly may suddenly rise to as much as 140%,
Are already placing a real damper on both 'back yard'
And professionally performed ceremonies around the nation.
Beyond that, the commercial purchasers of fireworks
Have no idea as to what to do for next year,
Because our fireworks, almost 95% of which are Chinese manufactured,
Must be ordered one year ahead of time.
A possible balanced conclusion could be
That our ceremonies might be dimmer,
But with climate change, the danger of fires may burn less bright.

Mass Deportation and the Cost to Society opus 598

Mass deportation is being attempted, but there is a new (?) recognition
That farm workers, as well as hotel and restaurant laborers and meat packers are vital.
The decision to spare these 'personnel' goes back and forth.
When one looks at just immigrants, let alone illegal immigrants,
Their economic contributions goes into the trillions of dollars--
To completely remove this group or groups of people, depending on their length of stay,
Would be an absolute economic loss to our economy.
The only way to replace these workers is through the recruitment of more immigrants!
Are our leaders so filled with their deportation goals
That they are paying no attention to the effects of their efforts on the economy?
Also the cost for increased law enforcement and for deportation camps,
Could total 80% of all of the federal law enforcement budget.
What could save all this is a year-round 'farm worker visa'.
This would prevent the negative consequences and future illegal immigration.
Why was this relatively simple solution not implemented long ago?

An Interview Using the 'Wobbly Chair Test' opus 611

Interviewers seeking good employees may well use the 'Wobbly Chair Test'.
It entails two chairs; one set a little aside which is totally normal.
The interviewee's primary chair by the interviewer has one leg cut a bit short.
This enables the latter chair to not sit straight and to wobble.
The test is, will the interviewee notice and remark on the unsteady chair,
Momentarily stop the interview, and ask to exchange chairs;
Or will 'they' (notice the 'singular they' employed here)
Continue to wobble and uncomfortably continue with the procedure?
Of course the interviewer is interested in whether or not
The one interviewed takes initiative in a situation
And notices something that needs improvement.
Of course, if the person interviewed is shy and does not speak up,
The establishment may possibly lose an otherwise potentially good employee.
Presumably, all that depends on the good insight the interviewer may have at that moment.

Lesotho--Where's That? opus 614

Did you happen to catch it, when President Trump said,
"No one has ever heard of Lesotho."
 (Pronounced LES SOO TOO, a very small Southern African country.)
The subject of Lesotho came up because Trump placed a 50% tariff thereon.
Trump may not have heard of Lesotho, but the Basotho have heard of him.
I, personally, had heard of Lesotho, the country,
Because I was an 'English lecturer' (assistant professor) in their university about 1976.
This country was and still is one of the poorest countries in the world.
When I lived and taught there, the poverty was evident.
Young boys, tending goats in the wild, were still hunting mice,
To be roasted over a small fire, providing a small amount of needed protein.
The hunting weapon was a sharpened stick called a Tsenene.
In the winter, children wrapped themselves in a single blanket,
And walked around with bare feet on a very cold earth-surface.
As I remember, perhaps Denmark (?), had started a clothing company to create jobs.
This infant industry has now grown to produce and become 'the denim capitol' of Africa.
They also produce the golf shirts of clothing, which even Trump himself wears!
The 50% huge tariff, Trump placed on Lesotho because of the 'trade imbalance'--
Lesotho actually exports more to the US, because it is so poor; US products being relatively too expensive.
As a result, their clothing companies are challenged, losing trade because of the excessive prices--
Businesses are closing, workers are being laid off,
And a long fought-for national industry is, because of Trump's complete ignorance of the situation,
experiencing crumbling sources of desperately needed employment.
Meanwhile the tariff has somewhat mercifully been reduced to 15%,
But the Mosotho Secretary of State reports it will require many months for the needed recovery.
Yet one more tragedy in a long line of uninformed legislation.

Radioactive Rhinoceroses? opus 622

The poaching of elephants and rhinos is done by those who have no reverence
For earth's ancient creatures--only for monetary ivory and 'aphrodisiac--horns'.

Yet another plan to cease this horrible murder--
Insertion of a radioactive chip, placed into the rhino's horn.
With this insertion, horns may be detected and origins traced.
It appears the radioactivity will not harm the bearer.
So much effort, just to attempt the survival
Of an incredible and ancient elder of the mammalian world.
But, another aspect of this whole situation,
Is that, there must be more of an effort
To involve the local citizenry to feel a part of things,
Thus having a stake in the preservation of these creatures.
Local care and efforts towards preservation
Is the only way this horror will ultimately be averted.

For History's Sake opus 681

For history's sake, I am recording this to demonstrate my constant efforts
To help our planet. You need do nothing or take me up on it!

Dear Reader,
All the Poems and Thoughts are written by an 84-year-old poet/biologist,
Frank Maurer, always concerned about where we are headed,
Pricking society to simply conduct some clear thinking.

My Maurer/Timm Quail Ridge, UCD Student Endowment
(started a few years ago, along with the 36-year-old Conservancy)
Is up to $200,000 now and growing.

If you wish to donate (for in perpetuity) with even a single donation,
Which will be matched, as long as funds are available,
(and are tax deductible through the University of California, Davis),
Email me for any information and/or instructions,
And if you need to confirm my legitimacy.

frankmaurer41@gmail.com

Just state your questions, including for donation instructions,
And I shall respond.
Devotedly Yours, 
Frank Maurer.

The Penny is Gone opus 692

In February of 2025, the president ordered the end of minting our penny.
Now, both businesses and customers calculate,
Whether or not the 'rounding up or down' to the nearest nickel,
Give them a miniscule profit or loss.
To mint a one cent piece, costs the government 3.7 cents.
It costs 14 cents to mint each nickel--when is their doomsday?
The latter's fate to come, may be a while;
The ceasing of the minting of the US one half cent was in 1857!
It may be a while until we witness the demise of the nickel:
We humans love to hold on to our beloved coins..
I do remember holding on to my pennies, though,
To push them into their appropriate date and space
In the collectors' 'book' my father provided for me.

Danish Postal System Gone After 400 plus Years opus 712

After more than 400 years, the Danish Government Postal System has ended.
The utilization of this system has dropped 90% in the last few years.
Now one must mail things from a private store--no longer a post box.
Electronic communications have starved the old-fashioned system.
Now holiday and birthday greetings will mostly be compulsively electronic.
(By the way, any unused stamps can be returned for face value.)

Our postal system, about 200 plus years old, created by Benjamin Franklin,
Is teetering towards the same fate as that of Denmark.
Will I witness this occurring in the short remainder of my life?
Will I no longer be able to march into my Post Office, announcing,
"I am here to buy stamps to support this institution"?
Will I no longer be able to add a turkey feather to my epistle,
Augmenting the mystique of my correspondence?
Historically, the pending passing of an era, which I will always hold dear.

Our Huge New Battleships opus 725

Recently, I listened to our second-term president
Propose yet another scheme for our future..
This time it was that we needed twelve huge new battleships,
Two being completed by 2030, the end of this decade.
I was amused, but disappointed, we must have yet more war machines.
Soon thereafter, I was listening to a retired naval officer discuss this plan.
He expounded that the US has not completed the ships already in the making,
Because this country no longer has up-to-date shipyards.
He said there was no budget for such monstrous ships.
He also firmly stated that such large vessels were sitting targets for our times.
We needed, instead, more efficient but smaller ships,
Which could agilely maneuver and separate a large target to many.
He concluded, "They will never be built."

In that vein, now, a portion of the White House has been destroyed,
For a huge new ballroom to fulfill the president's delight,
Will it ever be completed for that magnificent ball event?
Responsible dreams and proposals are one thing,
But plans made in the air to fulfill an ego, are yet another.