‘Twas the week after Christmas, and all through the land, friends were still saying,

“We don’t understand. We’ve been checking the mail at the office and home,”

But where is Patricia’s annual poem?”

Well, I was making good progress and getting around,

When a vertebra broke, and slowed me right down.

Our thoughts were still there, but it was too much to do

To put them on paper and get them to you.

Here’s hoping the new year’s a good one for you, a little bit of heaven,

But first let’s take a backward look at the year Two Thousand Eleven.

The war is over in Iraq! Another one still rages on.

Let’s pray for peace in Afghanistan and bring our troops back home.

In England, the wedding of William and Kate, their future Queen and their King.

In the Middle East, riots. Dictators fall. They’re calling it “Arab Spring.”

Chaos in Cairo, in Damascus, revolt, as the people took to the streets.

“We’re looking for freedom. We’re in great distress! All we seek is relief.”

So Mubarek is out and Ghadafi is dead (and even Kim Jung Il),

But will the future improve on the past? We certainly hope that it will.

Pakistan seems like the most perfect spot for writing your terrorist chores.

But Osama bin Laden, drop your pencils and pens! There’s Navy Seals at your doors!

In Japan, a tsunami and terrible floods, all brought on by a quake.

The nuclear plant’s in a vulnerable zone, and people’s lives are at stake.

In Italy, a prison, an American girl; Amanda Knox was her name.

Her roommate was murdered; Amanda was charged; they ruled she wasn’t to blame.

Casey Anthony’s trial went on many days, over on this side the world.

She wasn’t found guilty, so we’ll never know, what happened to her baby girl.

Apple Computer lost their Steve Jobs, a man with the most brilliant mind.

And Elizabeth Taylor passed away; her beauty was one of a kind.

Maria Shriver heard the bad news that Arnold was playing around.

And Joe Paterno lost his job, ‘cause Sandusky brought him down.

Occupy Wall Street was happening here, camping on our public land.

What did they want? What was their goal? I never did understand.

Huntsman, Bachman, Romney, Cain, Perry, Gingrich, and Paul again.

All lined up in political drama, each one hopes to defeat Obama.

Our nation’s economy’s in a bad shape; I’m sure that you know what I mean.

Joblessness, bankruptcy, foreclosures on homes; these are all part of our scene.

Taxation problems, budget debates, in financial crisis we’re found.

The guys in Congress just can’t find a way to get us on good solid ground.

The Super Committee has Superly Failed to find any kind of solutions.

We pray for wise heads with help from On High, to lead to some better conclusions.

Well, we haven’t really missed Christmas at all, ‘though a new year is ready to start.

‘Cause Christmas Day is any day that you let Jesus be born in your heart!

Happy New Year!

Stanley & Patricia