New Year Resolutions

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

Albert Einstein

The Leaf Charmer

New Year

The rats have gone  from the rafters,

the mice from the midden

and sun before seven no longer has to mean

rain before eleven.

How does this New Year’s morning pass?

She sweeps the leaves into the river

while listening to the robin sing.

Half-hidden in the magnolia,

he is alone and she is alone

and it is to her alone that he seems to be singing.

She thinks as she sweeps and the robin sings

and the river flows past her.

She thinks of words,

the ones that she will sweep away

like should, ought and must.

She retains the ever-present why and for good measure adds why not?

She stocks up on the cans and the coulds, the wants and the wishes

not forgetting the needs.

All nevers and buts are banned;

when, where, how and now loom large.

There are to be no more cannots, must nots,

should nots, ought nots,

ought tos, never agains;

all are quickly brushed away

along with the far too many ifs and worries, sorries and regrets.

They journey away so quickly,

downstream they go, along with her leaves

at a comforting and such a steady speed.

Cait O’Connor