January First, 2004 (poem)

Struggling not to sink under the burden of the season
I surface from the depths of holiday cheer
gulping fresh air come honestly by its bitterness
New Year's birth marked by lengthening days
its promise light, warmth, and more of the same
cycle of change looping into a future made grim or bright
by the actions of mankind past and present
I send a plea to those in mental hibernation:
Awaken! Resolve to make educated decisions.