A Next Year

There will be better things
Next year

There will be beaches
Celebrated holidays
Days off
Vacations
Relaxation
Unattended temptations
Renewed fascinations
And lasting relations next year

Next year there will be
Forgiveness
Forgetting
Foreplay
Focus
Photography
Philanthropy
And memories
Lots more memories will be made next year

Next year we'll keep in touch
And keep our promises
And keep our goals in mind
And keep our temper in check
And keep our patience alive
And keep our parents proud
And keep our ourselves healthy
And keep working at all the things we stopped working at this year

Next year we'll do things
Garden
Dance
Karate
Knit
Learn
Grow

Next year there won't be
Arguments
Rain
Disappointment
Lies
Unworthy priorities

When next year arrives
We'll take out the trash
Wake up earlier
Clean, clean, clean
Think before we speak

We'll buy a yoga mat
A subscription to the New York Times
Seventeen bananas
And a house plant

...And maybe a puppy named Charles

Next year we'll be better
We'll feel better
We'll do better

Next year is coming
Thank God

Thank God there is--

A Next Year