New Year's Resolution

Gold cherry

By jennifer

Mon, 01 Jan 2024
  • 949 reads
20 comments
 

New Year’s Resolution 

 

Jennifer Pickup (01.01.2024) 

 

Another New Year, a new 

resolution you won’t keep! 

Oh, let me take a rough guess: 

A diet for that new dress? 

Have you resolved to drink less, 

save more money, get more sleep? 

Catch up with all your old friends, 

clear up the past, make amends, 

get a new girl- or boy-friend, 

or stop being such a sheep? 

 

Another New Year, a chance 

to find paths to which we’ll keep, 

Shall we all hit the reset? 

How long it lasts we’ll all bet! 

This time next year we’ll regret 

the paths chose were far too steep; 

that we’re not thinner, richer,  

less of a drinker, better, 

happier, etcetera, 

and we will all swear or weep. 

 

Hey, on this New Year, don’t seek 

a new challenge for a thrill, 

don’t join a club or new gym, 

or sign up for anything – 

you can’t afford to begin 

something that requires will! 

You won’t read a book a week, 

a new language learn to speak, 

find the inner peace you seek, 

or climb up that massive hill! 

 

Let’s, on this New Year, agree 

to set goals we can achieve! 

Call the loved ones time to time, 

put up that new washing line, 

smile a bit more than you cry – 

in these dreams you can believe! 

To get out of bed each day, 

to clean out the microwave… 

See what I’m trying to say? 

A resolution reprieve! 

Certificate U
Poem
Storm on the Horizon (2023-2024)
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

with you all the way, until this:

to clean out the microwave…

< narrows eyes >

how often are we talking about?

 

Submitted by jennifer on

...working up to doing mine. Once in a blue moon, perhaps?! Sometime in 2024...

J x

 

Submitted by Rhymes And Reasons on

'My New Year's Resolution Is To Stop Smoking.' By May/June around my birthday it will be one year smoke free. My mind is set on stopping. Good luck with your dreams and wishes for 2024. Happy New Year!

smiley

 

Submitted by jennifer on

...I'm finding your maths confusing! If your New Year's Resolution this year is to stop smoking, then by May/June it will only be 5/6 months smoke free, not a year?! Unless it was last year's Resolution, and you're already more than halfway there?!

J x

 

Submitted by Rhymes And Reasons on

I quit on the 5th of June with my operation. Only after a year can you say that you've actually left it all behind. So I am still resolved to make it a smoke free man until then. Thank you for the timely reply. Wish me luck!

 

Submitted by jennifer on

...a birthday resolution or a New Year's 2023 Resolution?

J x

 

Submitted by Rhymes And Reasons on

'It's a little bit of both I suppose.' Everyone deserves a second chance. A new life. smiley

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Enjoyed this very much. Although I am rather with insert on the microwave question. Ditto the actual oven.

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I was quite pleased she didn't mention the actual oven : )

 

Submitted by jennifer on

I'm not going near the oven - I don't use it, anyway! I think you can pay people to clean ovens...

J x

 

Submitted by celticman on

not sure about the microwave either. Other stuff. yeh, probably. 

 

Submitted by jennifer on

...that struggles to clean the microwave!

I feel I have hit somewhat of a common nerve here, which is reassuring!

Adulting - it's not for everyone!

J x

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Jennifer's lovely, sympathetic advice is our Facebook and X Pick of the Day! Please do share if you enjoy it too.

Submitted by jennifer on

What an honour, thank you - such a great boost to my writing confidence for the New Year of 2024!

J x

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I clean our microwave once a year whether it needs it or not. In doing that I feel less guilty about ignoring the World Health Organisation's humanitarian disaster that rages on top of the fridge-freezer.

Great poem. It made me smile.

Turlough

Submitted by jennifer on

...to do the microwave. Top of the fridge/freezer is clear and regularly wiped over because it's easy.

I think, upon reflection, dusting is the worst job, when you have photos and ornaments and piles of to-read books everywhere. Should have put that in!

Thank you!

J x

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Spot on Jennifer. I find it impossible to set targets, though my wife and I decide on limiting our alcohol intake, but first we needed a drink for that. As for learning a language - I once tried learning Esperanto, hoping it might prove useful when I visited the country.

Dougie Moody

Submitted by jennifer on

...is a useless concept for me, as everyone gives me bottles of wine for Christmas! 

I find setting some targets easy - the bigger the better, such as a new qualification - but others incredibly difficult, like the ones mentioned in the poem, which are all very personal!

Cheers!

J x

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

I think this must resonate with most of us. Setting ourselves up to fail before the year's even got going. I love the final verse, achievable goals instead of aspirational ones. Perfect POTD for the season.

 

Submitted by jennifer on

...about the percentage of resolutions set on New Year that actually get achieved by 31st Dec.

I'm sure I haven't achieved most of mine, not that I can remember what they all were, but certainly the ones in the fist three stanzas of the poem are regularly featured!

Hence me setting the ones in the last stanza this year! Small steps!

J x