Oh What a Year It Was!

Thumbin' slowly through the annual pages
of 2005;
A year; A time to say goodbye-
'Twas only a few days ago, that I thought
life was good-
but looking back; I can just painfully sigh

While the headlines and tragedies sort of
slipped through our fingers;
We found life much too sorrowful to enjoy-
Oh yeah, there were days we laughed; Days we
cried; and sometimes we done both-
Then there were moments with no emotions
left to employ

From the Tsunami's ground zero; To
Russia's school children scare-
Our heartstrings grew thin;
Suddenly nothing seemed fair

We juggled man's war on one side; and
Nature's on the other-
While Terri Shaivo's death made us want
to hug our Mothers

Then Katrina showed up and took front stage;
with her sultry tango; and devastating rage-
We assumed then it couldn't get any worse;
but little sister Rita; was a lingering curse

Beneath the rubble of New Orleans' plight;
is buried the magic of jazz and brass of night-
As entire Southern shore; changed now and forever;
family chains lay broken; permanantly severed

Let's don't forget the terrorists out of the Far East;
bombing London's trains; With the mindset of beasts-
by now most of us wore the 'deer in the headlight stare';
life took on the grown up rendition of double-dare

Yes it's been quite a year; One not soon forgotten;
Leaving us with a bitter taste; Spoiled and rotten-
While the mid-west drought continues to slowly burn;
we'll bury 2005 gladly in a dead man's urn

As we turn to the last page of this tragic year;
having looked through it's memories and our own tears-
We know we survived all it's blows and licks;
and we'll Welcome in 2006!

© Lisa Hilbers
12/31/2005