What can we make of this New Year that has not been made for every New Year from time immemorial? Every culture that ever lived had a turning of the page, a turning that promised a better year than the last, despite all evidence to the contrary. Still, we celebrate the turning of the page at the beginning of each new year, convinced that this new year will be different.

The New Year comes upon us one more time
And revelers with alcoholic cheer
Reduced to wishing all in pantomime
A glorious outcome to the new year
Forgetting for the moment twelve months past
They wished the same and saw dreams unfulfilled
Believing though misfortune cannot last
They offer up the lilies they will gild
The baby in the top hat smiled and waved
And promised them a mountain full of gold
In coming year for every road they paved
But knowing that in twelve months he’d be old
And turn into the old man with the scythe
The hour glass declaring it is done
The revelers so casually blithe
Cried cheer up guys it’s January one