’Twas the week before Christmas in 2019,

And Wow! What a “fun” year this last one has been.

Political rancor divided us all,

No matter the issues, both big and small. 

It started as Nancy returned to her throne

While Rs in the House let out a huge groan.

A government shutdown lasted for weeks

With everyone shouting their own unique piques.

Quite soon thereafter some pink-hatted women

Made sure that the movement of Me To kept simm’rin’.

Drug lord “El Chapo” caused much strain and strife;

He’s now in prison for the rest of his life.

Venezuela continued to flounder,

Maduro claims, though, that it’s never been sounder.

The money ran out just like the T.P.,

A lesson indeed for many to see.

Mudslides and flooding and snowflakes galore,

The U.S. was messed up – shore to shore.

Winter gave most of us sub-freezing chills,

Walking or riding, we got thrills and spills.

Amazon said it would build HQ 2,

Cities fell over themselves for that coup. 

New York’s the winner! But then it pulled out;

Political bias gave it some doubt.

Teachers weren’t teaching across our fair land,

Striking in cities was their new lesson plan.

Shootings continued to make headline news,

Giving us all a bad case of the blues.

College admissions were put up for sale,

And some of the parents landed in jail.

The coolness of vaping has come under fire,

Leading to health scares, many quite dire.

The Tide and the Tigers were fighting once more,

Sweeny and Sabin exciting their corps.

Clemson had nary a blemish all year,

Proving to many the team had no peer.

Super Bowl champs once again were the Pats,

You gotta give Brady a tip of the hat.

Perhaps, though, it’s time for another league champ,

New England’s trophy case has to be cramped.

Those in the golf world got quite a thrill,

Tiger’s Augusta run gave them the chills.

Denny and Simon crossed finish lines first,

Racing ahead with their last-second bursts.

NC and Duke did not play for a title,

To which every year it seems they’re entitled.

Virginia instead got to cut down the nets,

As Cavaliers cried, “That’s as good as it gets!”

Golden State came to the end of its run,

Toronto and Raptor fans had all the fun.

Steph and his crew for so long were the best,

But now they continue to sink in the west.

Some team from Canada won the World Series,

(Montreal thought that was one of the theories).

The Washington Nats as now they are known,

Beat Houston in seven to sit on the throne.

As always, we lost a few noteworthy folks,

Athletes and singers and those who told jokes.

We knew them by name, if never for real,

And all led their lives with particular zeal

One was named Spinney or rather Big Bird,

As Oscar the Grouch he could also be heard.

Tim Conway, Frank Robinson, Doris Day too,

Luke Perry and Redbone among those we knew.  

Basketball’s Hondo, industry’s Koch,

Wrestling’s Bundy and other fine blokes.

From fashion, Karl Lagerfeld, Gloria V.,

From stage Carol Channing or “Dolly” to me.

And then there was Epstein, Jeffery by name,

For many lewd actions, he got all the blame.

Did he have help with his prison cell trauma?

His exit has opened up plenty of drama.

Democrat candidates lined up in droves,

Seeking to take on the Trumpster they strove.

Those that are left say they’re going to stay,

(Hoping a Clinton does not join the fray).

The comic Zelenskiy was landslided in,

No joke, Ukrainians gave him the win.

But that wasn’t really what brought him his fame,

Phoning The Donald changed everyone’s game.

At just the same time a guy named Bob Mueller

Released a report that could hardly be duller.

Russian collusion was surely the case,

For that, though, alas, there was simply no base.

The grand Dame of Notre blazed up in Paree,

Its tall spires collapsing and causing debris.

Meanwhile Korea the North’s Kim Jong-Un

Continues to play with more fire like a loon.

Looking to calm Kim and dial down the stress,

Trump tried to keep him from making a mess.

Meeting the Rocket Man on his own land,

May have helped soften some hot-headed plans. 

For three years the Ds have tried Trump to impeach,

“He’s guilty of something, we know” they did preach.

A “sham” and a “witch hunt” the White House did cry,

While we in the hustings let out a big sigh.

The Deep State does not like its boat to be rocked,

Or heaven forfend its own plan soundly blocked.

Both sides are guilty of having their schemes,

Sometimes it makes you just rise up and SCREAM.

And now as we look toward a vibrant new year,

Opthalmologically-speaking our path is quite clear.

In twenty and twenty forget hocus-pocus,

What better time to bring things into focus?

Perhaps all the bitterness finally subsides,

Calm and tranquility become our best guides.

Let’s take our cue from this Season of Birth,

And hope for the best, and yes, Peace on Earth.

©MMXIX. William J. Lewis, III – Freelance Writer