I have heard them all

I have heard them all

Over the years,

The sincere regards,

As kind hearts

Wear coronets

On their sleeves,

And wish for the return

Of better times,

When the world was a safer place.

Nobody locked their doors

And butchery was a fair trade

In fresh meat for the table.

Long before the legs of

Hollywood’s Betty Grable,

Or even the Crusaders

And Saladin.

Before mother’s ruin

And London Gin.

Way back when,

In the halcyon days

Before we learned

About the bad ways.

When cruelty was a game

Played out

Behind closed doors.

A vicious little secret

That twisted the soul,

Much as it does today.

So nothing really changes

Even when we ring them.

But we believe

In new deeds

And freshly starting.

Making our lives anew

Turning over another leaf

For the sake of tradition.

Forget greed,

Poverty

And sedition

For just a little while.

And be in good cheer,

Listen up everybody,

Have a very happy New Year.