Out With The Old (Poetry)

Cast out, the old year is just a shadow
moving dimly down the track
fading into grainy distance
Time’s grey hump upon its back

Now eclipsed by some fresh hopeful
with their grandiose new schemes
to fix the world’s most pressing problems
even though they lack the means

Brash, the New Year blows its trumpet
flies its banner — shouts ‘Hurrah!’
points a finger at the future
wagon hitched to some bright star

Blind how swiftly time is passing
since clocks and calendars will keep
count of all we may be missing
while we find escape in sleep

Yet before the dream is over
rebel youth is doomed to age
days are pilfered by the hour
custom turns the well-thumbed page

Each New Year starts off this eager
with a lively firework show
the numbers change — the vision’s jaded
thus seasons come and decades go