Saturday, January 1, 2022

Shana Tova

 The year starts with weariness

and an empty canteen, and

a sweaty brow.

One foot at a time, it goes,

the bellows of its lungs

in time with the angina

of its watery heart.


  A fly beshatted motivational 

poster exhorts

the viewer to keep getting up

after being knocked down,

but what it should say

is that being hopeless

is the human condition

from 30,000 feet up

and that you've got to 

keep going anyway.


  We will trudge onward

and steal laughter and joy

from our stingy master

pilfering kisses and good

company

and minor achievements

like writing little poems

route marching 

alongside this 

shuddering disaster of a new year.




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