Thursday, December 24, 2020

With due deference to Clement Moore

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
Nothing was stirring, it’s just me and the spouse,
The stockings were mailed out, for those that we care.
Molly, Mitchell, and Lindsay, wish we were there.
I’m sure they’re nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of scrapple dance in their heads.

The boss in her PJs, and I with a nightcap,
Just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap—.
When deep in my brain there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet, to determine the matter.

Synapsis were firing, a spark and a flash,
Thoughts were appearing, then gone in a dash.
My memories were swirling like new falling snow,
Why nothing seemed right, I just didn’t know.

My thoughts were gelling, the first to appear,
The COVID pandemic, defining the year.
But good thoughts were coming, ever so quick,
Oh yes, the cocktails, they became my new shtick.

More rapid than eagles, the cocktails they came,
I learned them and mixed them and called them by name.
Now Sidecar, now Southside, now Old Pablano,
A Vesper, a Fireside, try an Americano.
Sweeteners and bitters, with good alcohol,
A dash in them, dash in them, dash in them all.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
The COVID it spread, hitting low and high.
2020 was bad, and pleasures were few.
But despite the ugly, good things happened too.

Since January’s dreary, even with no disease.
We had to escape the deep winter freeze.
With Molly and Mitchell, to Belize we flew,
For a lovely vacation, with our whole crew.
Snorkeling with nurse sharks, big as the humans.
Swimming through caves to see Mayan ruins.
Birding with guides, their skill left us in awe.
A hundred and seventeen species we saw.
We had a great time, all was perfect and right,
Except maybe Molly, and her pelican bite.
Then disease started raging, but we did persevere,
And we did what we could, in a right dismal year.
Molly passed orals, now a doctoral candidate.
But still several more years before she can graduate.
Mitchell is working, and wood turning for fun.
He makes lovely things and has only begun.
Lindsay is working, in a full-time position.
Not really her calling, so it’s just a transition.
She’s heard the call and it’s teaching says she.
If the planets align, in grad school she’ll be.

The orange one has lost, the world can rejoice.
Though he says not, it was the people’s choice.
We needed a leader to fight the dread COVID.
His pathetic response got him outvoted.

2020’s been hard, at times very black.
We’re tired and weary, we want our lives back.
But the vaccines are coming, an end is in sight.
So happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.