I resolve the usual improvements
to self and life once again nothing
earth-shattering in my striving:
the desire to be a nicer person,
pay my bills on time, achieve
a lifelong goal never much altered
one year to the next. Not
to give up smoking nor to
take it up nor to stop cursing
go back to church
visit the sick and elderly
eschew the eating of beef.
But I do make a list as
silly as that might seem
and in its dull serious
repetition is written a failure
of sorts that I resolve to accept.
And overcome. Next year.
