A New Year*

I’m a middle-aged woman who lives in a house
With three kids and a dog, some fish and my spouse
And a hamster named Small Pie, a cute little fellow
Who came here last Christmas, and is really quite mellow
This holiday season is officially through
And now here today is a year that’s brand new
As I stare at the tree that today will come down
And clear out some closets and move stuff around

I wonder how time seems to pass in a flash
And how it all happens in a furious dash
To kick off the season, my daughter and me**
Saw Madeline’s Christmas at the DCT
Then Grandma arrived on a plane from the Midwest
With a Pizza King pizza in her bag (it’s the best)
We took her to fabulous Gaylord on ICE
Which everyone agreed was freezing but nice

Up at the high school we saw Benjamin play
Soccer against varsity girls one cold day
Then back at the school we enjoyed Madrigal
Where Jacob and friends performed for us all
And Grammy and PawPaw came up for a night
To see Scrooge, the musical, what a wonderful sight
As Grandma packed up to head home with a jingle
What did appear on her skin but the Shingles!
She flew back to Muncie one brisk afternoon
With some meds in the hope that she’d get better soon

We baked and made candy, some yummy, some icky
Including some taffy that came out too sticky
We also had carolers who showed up one night
The freshman girls’ soccer team—to Ben’s pure delight
Some movies this season we managed to see
Chihuahua and Bolt then Marley & Me
And others we rented or watched on TV
Mamma Mia, The Holiday, and Love Actually

Our cards were mailed out, not a moment too soon
And the presents got wrapped in one afternoon
I met Joan for lunch at a local café
(It was great to enjoy a few hours away)
Then Mia and Daniel helped me complete
The 500-piece puzzle we started last week
I also kept working and managed to write
For Living five articles and edited at night

As the New Year arrives I plan to complete
Another new novel, then read and critique
With others who share in this crazy, sick game
Of writing for pleasure (and potential great fame)
As characters beckon and beg to be heard
I’ll sit at the keyboard and type out each word
Then one day I’ll look up and see that it’s done
And hope that this manuscript’s really the one
That opens the door to a brand new career
Wouldn’t that be a cool goal for this year?


* My apologies to Philip for writing a poem that rhymes--awkwardly at times--but it's all I know how to do.
** Pardon the poor grammar. There again, it rhymed better so I took artistic liberties.