A look back in time,
and let’s do it in rhyme

Robyn’s Hood
By Robyn McCloskey

’Twas the week after Christmas and all through the land
All the creatures were stirring and thinking "Oh man"
Where did the year go, so much on my plate
We blinked much too fast, now it’s 2008
But do not feel sad, as many things have passed
The year in review should prove quite a gas
Let’s see what all happened, the things that took place
We’ll learn from our past and make no mistake
Some things were good and some things were sad
But oh what a time we good citizens had!
We danced with the stars and watched Britney’s descent
Her talent is gone, she still pays K-Fed’s rent
Lindsay tried rehab not once but three times
And "poor" Paris went to jail for her DUI crimes
The Colorado Rockies took out our dear Phillies
While Rosie O’Donnell just gave us the willies
Michael Vick didn’t like doggies and now he’s in jail
Ellen gave away Iggy, on her show she did wail
Donovan McNabb, he might soon be a Bear
We might not recognize him with his ever-changing hair
The guy did his best; he gave us his all
But it’s looking like back to Illinois he might crawl
Since it’s his hometown he might not be too sad
To get back to his family and know that he had
A stellar career, with the Eagles he flew
Donovan McNabb we’ll always love you.
We lost some good people in 2007
Maybe we’ll see them someday up in heaven
Luciano Pavarotti and Beverly Sills
Two opera greats whose voices gave chills
Merv Griffin, Jane Wyman and Robert Goulet
All great entertainers in their own special way
The graceful and elegant Miss Ruth Bell Graham
Who faithfully served beside Billy, her man
Anna Nicole lost her battle with drugs
But her baby’s still here with her cute little mug
Let’s all make a pact to help protect young Dannielynn
For the press to use her for fodder would be yet another sin
The cinema proved to be fond of the "threequel"
With box office dollars overshadowing any sequel
The Pirates it seemed were at the world’s end
And Johnny Depp made Keith Richards his new lifelong friend
And speaking of friends who make movies together
Those Oceans 13 boys are birds of a feather
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt at their best
Have all had their turn as People magazine’s sexiest
And then we have Shrek who will not make that list
But Mike Myers made money hand over fist
The Sopranos, they ended on a disappointing note
Gandolfini and Falco just clicked the remote
Michael Richards lost it to a heckler onstage
Mel Gibson went off on an alcoholic rage
And so there you have it, the good with the bad
Some of it happy, some of it sad
But things don’t end there
No, my friends, there’s much more
Like in 2008 who’s gonna score?
No, not with an intern, you silly old dope
But as president of America, candidates full of hope.
More rabid than foxes the pundits they came
And Republicans shouted and called them by name
On Hunter, on Huckabee, on Rudy Giuliani
On Ron Paul, Tancredo and Mormon Mitt Romney
And actor Fred Thompson with his Barbie doll wife
Whose age it does seem is half of Fred’s life.
And then, in a twinkling, the Democrats did confide
We have Miss Oprah on Obama’s side
She has more viewers than votes you can tally
Take that you right-wingers at your next GOP rally
So while we don’t know what the next year will hold
The name of our future president cannot yet be told
But I thank you for reading my last year’s summation
I wish you all peace on Earth, and for this our great nation.
And I wish to exclaim as I walk out of sight
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good night!
Robyn McCloskey’s column appears each week in the Northeast Times. She can be reached at crmccloskey@verizon.net