Year-End Review 1971 Poem by umashankar manthravadi

among the many who believed
their luck would change
was a boy who did not understand
that others too
like him had found
this end of the year
is like the end of any other year
(certainly not the moment for feeling)

he was not hopeful
and could not forget
he was not a gambler
to hope his luck would change
(nor were they; but they were cheering)

and knowing he could not pay if he did not win
stood silenced by the frenzy of those
who could cheer their own wild horses
and did not know
and would not have believed if he did
they had nothing on them
only a little imagination
substituting for involvement
and were cheering because they knew
without exception
they would not be around
when the horses came home
(and had no need for proof)

'we were a bit late starting' they said
'and now
'though we are all sure we will win
'we are sorry we have to leave you alone'
(and why are you so glum?)

at the end of this minute
he said
if there's the slightest pause
i will be in the groove
that's unconnected with all the others
(new year's remote but it is nearly twelve)

among those who believed
their luck had changed
was a boy who just aged another year
intent, feeling along the seam of the past day
to see if there was that crack
(and did not see why they were cheering)