Ode to 2004
It all began in Iowa.
Howard Dean was out in front.
The Democrats were hungry,
They had several in the hunt.
But one by one we saw them go.
They dropped off like a stone.
And in the end ‘twas John Kerry
Who stood there all alone.
And every four years we get to choose
Who the President
will be.
This year the
voters spoke and said,
We’ll stick with
the GOP.
So George takes on
another term;
John Kerry’s day
is done.
And now the
Democrats regroup
For another White
House run.
Just as the year was ending
There was a huge earthquake.
It rocked the Indian Ocean
Taking everything in its wake.
Tens of thousands lost their lives,
South Asia was in tears.
The healing and rebuilding
Could go on for years.
The Red Sox won the
World Series
Creating quite a
scene.
They hadn’t won
since Babe Ruth pitched
Back in nineteen
eighteen.
The Patriots won
the Super Bowl,
In three years
they’ve now won twice.
And the hockey
team from Tampa Bay
Is the Champion of
the Ice.
Talking heads and
news anchors
Were consumed by
the Peterson trial.
Tiger Woods and
his Swedish bride
Finally walked the
middle aisle.
TV said goodbye to
“Friends”
The show has now
expired.
And “The Donald”
seemed to take delight
When he told
people “You’re fired”.
The 28th
Olympiad
Was played in
Athens, Greece
The US took 35
gold
Before the Games
would cease.
The women’s Soccer
team played well.
‘Twas a Rochester
girl who led.
It was no
accident, of course,
That Abby Wambach
used her head.
The President said
the country should
Go back up to the
Moon.
A worldwide virus
choked the Web,
It was simply
called “My Doom”.
The price of gas
was rising fast
Some said ‘twas
overpriced.
And millions went
to the movies
For “The Passion
of the Christ”.
Terrorists took a
Russian school
And blew up a
Spanish train.
The British
launched the Mary II,
Biggest ship on
the “Bounding Main”.
Mayors across the
country were
Performing gay
weddings.
And too often we
heard the tragic news
Of Middle East
beheadings.
Sears and K Mart
soon will wed
They have
announced their plans.
The NBA had a near
riot
Involving players
and fans.
A second
bankruptcy was declared,
USAir is on its
knees.
And Lake Ontario
may have seen
The finale of “The
Breeze”.
A plane charted by
Switzerland
Crashed into the Red
Sea.
An Amtrack train
went off the tracks
Just south of
Tennessee.
A train in North
Korea crashed,
Killing two
thousand or more.
And a ferryboat
capsized
In the harbor at
Baltimore.
Hurricanes ravaged
Florida
With damage
everywhere.
Four big storms in
a short time
Made a Sunshine
State nightmare.
Fires burned the
western states,
Seems it happens
every year.
And an earthquake
rocked California
But not the big
one some folks fear.
Much was heard of
court cases
Involving a well
know client.
Michael Jackson,
Martha Stewart
And more news of
Kobe Bryant.
Bill Clinton had
his book published
He’s an author
like his wife,
And he also had
heart surgery
That probably
saved his life.
A college student
disappeared.
‘Twas a foolish
hoax, they say.
The Governor of New
Jersey quit,
He said that he
way gay.
In the jail that’s
called Abu Ghraib
Iraqi prisoners
were abused.
And a handful of
our US troops
Were accused of
being amused.
The War in Iraq
still rages on;
The end not yet in
sight.
But the
President’s firm in his belief
That the cause is
just and right.
The Nation’s
soldiers and marines;
They root out
thugs each day.
Let’s keep them in
our thoughts and prayers
‘Cause they’re
always in harm’s way.
This year we
paused for the third time
Remembering the
day.
Nine eleven’s
memories
Will never go
away.
New York and
Pennsylvania
And in Washington
DC.
We honored all the
victims
As we knelt on
bended knee.
Now once again we
call the names
Of some who’ve
passed away
Reminding us we
never know
The hour nor the
day.
Life is very
precious
And it can be gone
so fast.
Let’s hope we live
each day of it
As if it were our
last.
Respect has
finally come, we hope,
For Rodney
Dangerfield.
Palestinian
Arafat;
His fate now
finally sealed.
Janet Leigh from
the Bates Motel
And the comic Alan
King.
Robert Merrill of
Opera fame
Who never more
will sing.
Bobby Keeshan, or
should we say,
Captain Kangaroo.
Ray Charles and Lester Lanin,
And Tonight star,
Jack Paar too.
Tony Randall from
the Stage
Christopher Reeve;
once Superman.
And our fallen
military
In Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Locally we lost
old friends
Whose lives
touched quite a few.
Katherine Keough
from Fisher
And Pete Dobrovitz
, too.
Kodak’s CEO;
Whitmore.
Frank Horton and
Pinny Cooke.
“The Klein” and
Jerry Flynn
Who always gave
more than they took.
“Tug” McGraw from
Baseball,
Alistair Cooke at
95.
Columnist Mary
McGrory,
Now she’s no
longer alive.
The Actor Peter
Ustinov
Who was one of
Hollywood’s own
And fellow actor,
Brando,
Forever Vito
Corleone.
Ann Miller, the
girl who danced so much.
Estee Lauder, the
makeup queen.
Jan Berry who was
half the team
Of the singers Jan
and Dean.
Pat Tillman from
the NFL
Who died in the
Middle East
And Fay Wray who
was “Beauty” to
The Movies’ King
Kong “Beast”.
President Ronald
Reagan
A man who stood
quite tall.
The man who said
to Gorbachev,
Mr. “G”, “Tear
down this wall”.
The Nation mourned
as he lay in State
With many shedding
tears.
A funeral the
like’s not seen
In more than
thirty years.
So that was a look
at 2004
Wrapped up in verse
and rhyme.
Not too bad a year
for me,
A grandfather for
the first time.
Let’s hope the
year was kind to you
And that next year
we’ll all thrive.
Here’s wishing you
the very best
In the year
2005.
-
Brendan M. O’Riordan