New toast for a New Year

a poem
by

Jocelyn Wright

Hardly anyone knows what Auld Lange Syne means
much less how to spell it
but drunk enough once a year
teaming hoards mispronounce then yell it
teary eyed with ritual regret
making promises that when sober we will forget.
Meaningless practices handed down
misunderstood symbols
Appropriating music just for the sound
Numb to its ethnic mystery
We mark the years in Arabic
Calculating history
Forgetting origins along with guilt
Each year we begin again
Desperate to be reborn
Viewing our ancient
Last year self with scorn
Then we were bad, lonely, and sad
Let the government seize too much power
As we nurtured vengeance to flower
Behaved like a louse
By betraying our spouse
Watched too much porn
Ate too much meat
Gorged on sweets
This year we will be good
Diet and exercise like we should
Worry more about who we are
Than how we dress and how slick our car
Embrace those we love without twisted perversion
Reverencing sex as more than just a diversion
Yes – this is the year we will all get it right
Find a better way to communicate
Than to give up on each other and fight
Fuse together our love of creation
Learn to see the Earth as our ecological nation
Forever end all divisive religion
To become the family human
Somehow, because it’s January we feel that we can
So instead of a resolution let’s make it a plan
Let’s nail down a schedule before we all sober up
Quick – before what’s best in us becomes something that can barely fill a cup