2007? But I was just getting used to 2006...

A strange year,
A year
of considerable promise,
as yet unfulfilled

Mind you,
it's true,
having a steady full-time job
has been a great change for me.

It's offered me structure and a steady income-
not things to be taken for granted
in 2006,
in 2007,
or at any time

Unfulfilled promise?
My creative stirrings promise so much,
but realizing these promises takes focus

and focus is too easily lost
Life gets in the way of living
Crisis management
trumps dream fulfillment
Dreams get in the way of dreams
and clash vividly in confusion

Things turn out to be not as advertised,
sweet things turn sour,
one could easily turn bitter

I could easily turn the venom upon myself
for being in the wrong place
at the wrong time
with the wrong people,
or maybe the right people
in the wrong place
at the wrong time
or something wrong anyway

But to learn
to be kinder to others
I had to learn
to be kinder to myself

It's been a tumultuous year
in which I relied on crises
to shake things up,
to finally
force me
to make needed changes

And the year ends
with positive steps and optimism

A good year
in spite of bad details,
and the promise is passed on
to 2007.