Exit the Snake; Enter the Horse

The Snake slithers away; in gallops the Horse.

Yet another  CNY,  fast on the heels of Christmas and New Year.

Another CNY,  another year older.

As we gather, the babies grow to toddlers,

toddlers to students,

students blossom to young ladies and young men ...

... and the old age with each passing year.

Each step slower than before,

Sitting in the midst of chatter,

hopefully basking in the family cosiness,

hopefully not zoning out to oblivion.

Another CNY, more changes ahead,

as with every year.

For good  or for worse, 

we certainly hope the Horse  brings good tidings,

despite the grey thunderous clouds above.

The Early Worker

The morning breeze, cool and almost chilly.
A flutter of the leaves, another, and yet another,
of the  trees next door.
A bird looking for food?
The fleeting glimpse of a bushy tail ...
tis a squirrel.

The early worker squirrel,
darting here and there,
up and down the slender branches of the trees,
"flying" across the branches.
Looking for food, I suppose.

A pleasant  sight.  A good start to the day, one supposes.

Cheery Chirps, Gloom Ahead

Chirp, chirp, the birds are merrily chirping this morning.

Chirps of good cheer ahead?

Or chirps in an attempt to cheer the gloomy way ahead?

One wonders.

The yellow brick road ahead;

Its yellow darkened, like a harbinger of gloom ahead.

Tainted perhaps by the blood about to be shed?

Chirp, chirp, the birds are still chirping away.

Is there cheer amid the forthcoming gloom?

Or just unrealistic attempts to boost the flagging spirit?

Gloom, oh, painful gloom.

Like the back and the palm of the hand,

Any part hurts when cut.

Heartless one becomes,

as the gulliotine hangs above, poised to strike.

Heartless.  Or headless.