Another Year (After Su Dongpo)

I open my window,
and breathe the spring air.
I gaze at the new moon.
Tonight, it’s incredibly clear.
I hear the crickets,
hidden in the grass,
and I’m lost in memories
of springs past. Alone,
I toast this New Year
with a glass of old wine.
I’ll soon be fifty-five.
The stars in the sky surround me,
but bring me no cheer.
They are so far away,
and they have been dead
for millions of years.

George Freek’s poetry appears in numerous Journals and Reviews. His poem “Written At Blue Lake” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His poem “Enigmatic Variations” was also recently nominated for Best of the Net. His collection “Melancholia” is published by Red Wolf Editions.