Attitude

Attitude

And so another year ends, which feels
like last year's ending, the same
violence and wars
massacres and mayhem
ideologies and patriotism
I'm right, you're wrong
I'm good, you're bad
so let's duke it out
nothing new here

unless you narrow the picture
to the tiny leaf of my life
where much is new
baking bread, playing ukulele
my last year of teaching
in good spirits for an old man
my attitude keeping the surrounding
madness at bay, helped considerably
by Sketch, rat terrier as cosmic humorist
my lucky draw at life's lottery
my complaints small and selfish.

Nature wins. It is human nature
to have an attitude.
Make it count.