Happy New Year

Happy New Year (1945) by Norman Rockwell (left), New Year’s Morning (1888) by Henry Mosler (right)

The ball drops, the people cheer

As an old earth catches a new year.

Raise a toast! Who cares why.

Kiss a girl! Don’t be shy.

It’s hard to yearn for the breath of spring

In a house warmer than summer melting.

Harder still to crave fruit galore 

When every season is in every store.

We eagerly wait for day to grow long

And to hear again the lovely bird’s song

As if our bulbs don’t scorch the night

And our bare lawns don’t send birds to flight.

Man and machine, a force supreme,

For good or ill, time will deem.

“Subdue the earth. Have dominion.”

Here’s to another ride round our pinion.