That time of year again, marching towards the final hour,
Better grab that pen and paper, time to write a new chapter,
Will we finally stick to resolutions? That remains to be seen,
A world without covid as of now remains a pipe dream,
Held onto it this time last year, greeted 2021 beaming,
A few hiccups here and there but the dream looked close to happening,
Then came mid-winter, déjà vu huffed, puffed and blew,
One man’s error was all it took, society thrown back into the loop,
Back to lockdown for the masses, way to take several steps backwards,
The ghosts of 2020 came to roost, peep ‘em in the streets and check out the news,
Riots still hot this season, the far-right picking up from the far-left at the Capitol,
Left wing, right wing, the same bird is flappin’ ‘em, never underestimate the violence from the gullible and ignorant,
Folks still hating over differences in appearances and opinions, adults young and old behaving like spoiled children,
Beyond the residue of 2020, this year was a trip, there was good, there was bad and plenty of ugly for good measure,
Tokyo belatedly took the stage, finally staged the Olympic games,
Divisions and bickering put on hold, hands held all around the globe,
Chaos in Afghanistan, overtaken by the Taliban, citizens risked death on the runway, must be more appealing than tyranny anyway,
Tragedy on a film set, that gun wasn’t supposed to be hot, something fishy going on, raising more questions than not,
Justice for George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, finally, hope it was worth two years of chaos, looting, race-baiting and hypocrisy,
The sleep-deprived slithering into schools and acting the fool, how the fuck are y’all downplaying child-fiddling and abuse?
And on the subject of abuse, how ‘bout them pollies, rich folks and powerbrokers? Their sins and debauchery put front and centre, way to misuse their positions and power,
Media playing fire starter and provocateur, some things just won’t change,
But something ‘bout the general population ain’t right nowadays,
Don’t know how to describe it, like Animal Farm come to life,
Four legs good, two legs bad, better fall in line ‘lest you be ostracized,
Different sets of rules for the masses, all of ‘em dogmatic, better pick your position or they’ll drag you from the fence on which you’re sitting,
The most popular dictated by the rich and famous, attention-seekers thinking they got a license to influence,
Failure to bend or take a knee will cost you plenty, if not your life then certainly your credibility,
Get ready for the accusations; racist, narcissist, prejudiced, phobic, hate-mongering or a coward,
A free-thinking individual’s a dangerous animal, the fuckin’ sheep making connections between the pot and kettle,
There’s two sides or more to every argument or opinion, every lifestyle and belief system,
Ain’t nobody alive is all-seeing or all-knowing, open minds reap the rewards above the blinded,
School bully tactics still en vogue, a world where teamwork reigned would be dope,
As time goes by and life gets easier, seems like toughness and grit is put on the backburner,
Folks destroyed when challenged or met with resistance, is this a by-product of progress?
Still a jungle out there, every other weekend’s a protest,
That mid-year lockdown got ‘em hot and bothered, triggering beef between two factions,
Vaxxed VS Unvaxxed, the sheep against the quacks as they call one another,
Just a little note, swerving the poke don’t mean they think that all vaccines are a joke,
But mandates seem an overreaction, how dare they jeopardise our freedom,
It’s a free country in case you need reminding, let ‘em be responsible for their decisions,
To vax or not vax, both entail risks,
The damn Astra not the magical elixir as hyped, poisonous to the vulnerable type,
Pfizer ain’t much better, teenage hearts be swelling, not in a good way, either, myocarditis ain’t no laughing matter,
But playing rebel gonna leave you an open target, natural immunity may serve and protect, but mutinies are a possibility one mustn’t forget,
Fortunately it’s more hits than misses with the former, a return to normalcy’s around the corner,
Just in time for this new variant, now they’re pushing us to a third fucking helping.
Your boy right here began the year cautiously optimistic,
Isolated since 2020 thanks to a compromised immunity,
Three years since initial diagnosis but no crying over spilt milk,
Kinda sucks to be cut off, though, even for an introverted kid,
Sailed ‘round the Hawksbury, took nature walks beyond the city,
Keeping it local for now, got a big enough backyard anyhow,
Mass vaccination the plan to reach the Promised Land, but there’s reluctance even among the willing,
Long-term effects still unproven, as are what the solutions are harboring,
Found out soon enough, side-effects done reared their ugly heads,
For the most part pesky as hell, but for some the outcome was death,
Then they were talkin’ about forcin’ people to get it,
Freedoms and livelihoods evaporated should one dare to defy it,
Hence the aforementioned protests run by the bored and disgruntled,
Mass crowding prompting new waves brewing, get caught in the rip you could end up a statistic,
Chronic conditions diluting temptations to take unwise chances,
Grudging obedience obliterated plans for utter defiance,
Booked in for September, two doses spread over three weeks,
No nasty surprises after the first one, the second brought about soreness, headache and fatigue,
Gotta take it easy, still, for the sake of the vulnerable and non-compliant,
Personal desires put on hold, don’t want to be conscripted as a carrier.
That aside travelled down south to watch youngest cousin get hitched,
Ten-hour drive to and from, beautiful ceremony definitely worth the trip,
Good music, regular breaks and laughs ensured the journey was smooth,
Family catch-ups sure to brighten the gloomiest of moods,
‘Fessed up to Mom and Pops all my life’s ambitions, what’s worth fightin’ for and sacrificing,
Though nothing’s set in stone, only fools shut off opportunities for growth,
We weren’t meant to run in place, change can hurt but gotta embrace it,
Like a great man preached, the real ones flow effortlessly like water,
But it’s my life, which way it goes is solely my responsibility,
No need to trip, I’ll get there eventually, don’t matter the pace, I’m in no hurry,
Gonna hit that milestone in early 2022, it’s been four years in the making,
Ambition been simmering since the nineteenth trip ‘round the sun, better be worth the false starts since day one,
Gonna get there or die trying, ‘til the wheels fall off, ‘til I’m six feet under or cremated,
No longer a kid but not ready for retirement, gonna be more pages to be written.
A note to you readers, been through the wringer over the past two years,
Strength and will seared, looking ahead through the lens of cynicism and fear,
So much for the new ‘Roaring twenties’, expectations derailed in a hurry,
Plans scrapped and livelihoods threatened, families and friends separated,
Loved ones taken too soon and young ones needlessly orphaned,
Dark forces at work wreaking havoc, patience and resistance slowly falter,
Hard times corrode the masks that concealed peoples’ true colours,
Exposing the altruistic and pathetic, the creative and the rudderless,
The hate-filled hurting, plundering and killing their own brothers and sisters,
Blaming Ill-feelings and misguided beliefs as reasons for egregious actions? Schoolkids under ten conjure far better excuses,
We are one and the same, every colour, culture, lifestyle and creed,
Here’s a God damn fact, everyone’s life fucking matters, about damn time we moved forward and act like it,
Dare to resist popular opinion could see you cancelled, have we returned to the days of Hitler or Stalin?
The sleep-deprived endorsing free speech is nothing short of hypocritical,
Respect is earned and not demanded, won’t get none if you won’t give none,
Feelings hurt over counter-arguments surely won’t win you many admirers,
They laugh at your pettiness and immaturity, at the spectacle you make of yourself,
Seeking reasons to be triggered, talk about a wretched existence,
Gotta believe that good still outweighs the bad, though, otherwise life won’t be worth living,
It’s no easy feat, but better than dwelling in the land of the weak and defeated.
Though it’s easier said than done, though such advice may sound hollow depending on the source,
Keep that chin up and carry on, something to remember when you’ve lost all hope,
Took shells from all directions but damn it you’re still standing,
Luck ain’t had nothing to do with it, don’t underestimate the strength you’re imbued with,
The days are ticking by, can’t get it back once it’s gone,
Use ‘em as you please, but here’s a little something to reflect on,
Wasting time is simple, do nothing and remain stagnant, before you know it one too many has passed and you’re old, unfulfilled and kicking your own ass,
You deserve much better, but you still gotta earn it, ain’t nobody gonna hand it to you willingly on a silver platter,
Think of what drives you and gets that blood pumping every morning,
If it scares you some then that’s even better, don’t give in to that inner voice scaring you into inaction,
Fight like hell for what you want, never surrender and give it all you’ve got,
Fuck the haters and doubters, why be held hostage by the opinions of others?
Take it one step at a time and go at your own pace, let the dream guide your way,
Might take some soul searching to find your place but you’ve gotta keep at it,
We’re all pieces in the puzzle scattered, some just happen to be lying unseen in the corner,
Sooner or later you’ll be found, march on no matter the odds,
2021 is history, 2022 inching closer and closer,
The past is gone and no telling what the future holds, nonetheless gonna march on forward.