A Big F.U. to '22

Last year I wrote a simple poem

to bid the year farewell;

I hoped that 2022

would turn out really swell.

I fear I might have jinxed it, though...

this past year was a bust!

War, inflation, rising hate,

continued loss of trust.

Big companies got big things wrong

and stocks began to fall...

big firms began to layoff folks,

it was not good at all.

Beloved figures passed away,

a few you might have seen:

Nichols, Portier, Caan, Liotta,

MeatLoaf, Hurt, the Queen.

We're still not done with COVID?!?

Heck, we're entering year four!

We've managed to get by so far

but don't know what's in store...

Of course, not everything was bad,

not everything did sting...

we got to see the Olympics

held this year in Beijing.

Chouinard put Patagonia

into a Purpose Trust.

(His view: "We must stop climate change...

protect the Earth, we must!)

Messi, after eighteen years, he

finally raised the Cup.

The lesson here is clear for all,

it's simple: don't give up!

And that, I think, is what will be

my theme for '23.

This past year wasn't wonderful,

but next year's up to me.

I can't control the job market

or interest rates, that's true.

But I can focus on my goals,

so that's just what I'll do.

I'll take better care of myself

so I can stay alive.

I'll treasure every moment with