Good riddance 2020 and welcome 2021

2020 Retrospective
The year began with the usual cheer
Hope, promise and joy in high gear

Then, we got hit by a 1-2 punch, taking heavy toll –
viruses for our bodies and for our country’s soul

Coronavirus caused deadly havoc
Trump caused a major train wreck

“Coronavirus is a hoax” narrative thrived
Myriad of conspiracy theories got contrived

Fake news and bizarre stories got amplified
Lies and half-truths got normalized

COVID-19 response was fumbled
Any serious effort to fight it crumbled

Mask wearing got politicized
Public Health officials got ostracized

Virus fatigue set in; people became cavalier
in favor of waiting for vaccine as the savior

The best of humanity was on display
The worst of humanity did not go away

Medical professionals waged a valiant fight
truck full of dead bodies was a gruesome sight

Working poor lost livelihood
Many businesses shuttered for good

Rich got much richer
Poor got abject poorer ☹

New economy barons & plutocrats thrived
Inequality and poverty got magnified

Pro & college sports became victims of Covid-19
For months, no live action, only reruns on TV screen

When resumed, without fans in stands,
felt “empty” like a parade w/o marching bands!

Concerts, Theaters, Playhouses all went dark
Artist/actor/musician’s situation became quite stark

People kept dying from Covid-19
Police killing of Black men, umpteen

BLM became a rallying cry
Change in police behavior? nice try!

Impeachment, a net loss for Democrats
Emboldened Trump acted like autocrats

McConnell and cohorts’ shameful hypocrisy
a strike at the core of fragile democracy

BAU in Washington continued
Lot of talk no action, only more feud

SCOTUS became reliably conservative
Liberalism became even more pejorative

Voting rights got victimized
Elections got delegitimized

Please stop; enough is enough; can’t take it anymore!

As the year ends:
Coronavirus infections are surging, again
Authorities trying to contain it, in vain☹

It matters little now for the most
All discipline to control is lost

“Take my chances, play the roulette
Whatever happens, happens, no regret!
Que Sera Sera”

2021 Prospective

Better times are set to roll
Vaccine will end virus’ toll

Will get to do what we abstained from
Will get to live our lives without any qualm

Travel, dine out, shop, attend games
throw coronavirus cautions to flames😉

Hope against hope, civility will return
some of the harm caused by Trump will be undone

Will stop seeing each other as enemy;
in favor of as passengers on the same journey
(Let’s not get carried away)
(Oops, I forgot to remove my rose colored glasses!)

We wish you a happy new year
Full of joy, laughter and cheer.

Let’s pop open a bottle of Champagne
and toast to the success of vaccination campaign.

Cheers!  Let the good times roll!