A Final Toast - Poetry for a New Year's Evening

As I tick down the minutes

    to the new year

In my comfy jammies

    with my ginger beer

I resist the temptation

    to ask Hey Universe WTF

Why did this prior year

    universally suck

Yes a few did well

    but so many did worse

It's like we were hit

    by some vicious curse

Each day brought a new dose

    of surprise shock and sadness

Taking away yet another bit

    of joy hope and gladness

But not every year's like this

    I know this to be true

So I raise my glass in toast 

    to possibilities anew

Let good change of changed things

    replace all the bad

Let us remember our humanity 

    and all that we had

Let us help all not just some

    achieve all that they can

And bring us to a new place

    For every woman every man

Let us find a place of peace

    without fear or dread

From beginning to end

    in this new year ahead

It can happen I know

    if we can believe

Make this new year one to be proud of

    let's see what we can achieve

                                                       Lauren Swartzmiller (c) 12/31/2025