“...New Year’s Resolutions...”

New Year’s Resolutions 

The first letters make up the acrostic and the last letters the telestich ; in this case they are identical. A double acrostic (also known as shadow poetry). It not only spells a word with the letters at the beginning of its lines, but with letters at the very end of the lines as well.

New year, new hope, new endurance, once again a resolutioN

End the bitterness in my heart toward the past decades of moralizing pastoral “carE’

Win at all costs no longer, but ask questions to better understand the why and hoW

Yield to God always, and to others close to me for they often chart the waY

Energize when “All your waves break over mE

Answer my deepest prayers in bittersweet times, and dilemmA

Recall and remember the loving-kindnesses through the yeaR

Surprise others with sincere interest, compassion, care, and kind wayS

Resolve to discipline my words, thoughts, and deeds; and to pause before I answeR

Eternal One, your mercy “moves in close”; this new year let me never forget the rescuE

Simplify my life, to lessen attachments to this world’s means, and wayS

Open my eyes to see the divide, and hunger for those things that echO

Lighten the load for family I love, and others that I meet, and help lighten the burdens of those who I rivaL

Understand the racial divide more fully, that which rends hearts and souls, and help me never to plateaU

Take time to walk more in nature than a year before, reset, rest and write in the foresT

Imagine new ways to honor, and give more away, imagine days and celebrations showered with confettI

Outreach to community, to after school kids- some first to see the inside of a church, all effects surpassing my reach toO

Notice those who seem invisible, or cast aside, to refresh and strengthen them agaiN

Sing to the Eternal of all the good things He’s done… broadcast the good news of His salvation, each and every day*- such good newS

New Year’s Resolutions, Glimpse poetry by Joe Holuta

*Psalm 96:2 Voice