>Happy New Year....of Peace

Fireworks light up the darkened sky
in a beautiful coloured array
Celebrating the New Year in
with a vast midnight display ~
10-9-8, as everyone waited
with baited breath to cheer
Counting down, 3-2-1 ~
Happy New Year!

"Should old aquaintance be forgot"
we sing the age-old rhyme
As we wish each other all the best
for days of "auld lang syne" ~
And as we watch the fireworks
in their wonderful array
The brilliant colours that hide the facade
of the world's sad disarray.

Looking upon the celebrations
we felt a touch of fear
The media-hype of a possible attack
that would mark our New Year!
Sydney put on security alert
as we could only wait,
And watch with mixed emotions
as everyone celebrates.

Expecting the unexpected
wondering of the fate
Of this our land, a sunburnt country,
where everyone's a "mate" ~
The "she'll be right" attitude
that nothing can go wrong
Now leaves Australians wondering,
what will happen from now on?

The safe world we all live in
where we knew no real hate,
Where everyone's a neighbour
and "carefree" was a trait ~
War was something we didn't know
nor did we understand
We didn't feel unrest and hate
or terror in our own land.

Now suddenly the world has changed
with each passing year
And bringing with it is an unrest
we have come to know and fear ~
The comforts of the world we knew
in a life so carefree
Has been invaded by a terror
that threatens our security.

We, as Australians, don't want a war
but we don't want to live in fear
And we don't want the spirit of our country
to suddenly disappear ~
This is our nation, this is our land
and we will one day rise above,
For we do not have to fight wars of hate
when we have a God of love!

So beneath the Southern Cross
the colourful vast array
Of fireworks that light up the sky
at midnight in a display....
Of celebration and jubilation
as Australians shed a tear,
A dove of "Peace" lights up the Bridge ~
a wish for the New Year.

"New Year's is always a joyous time. But this year, it was overshadowed slightly with the threats of a possible attack coming to our shores over Christmas and New Year. No one knew what to believe and what not to believe, nor did we know what to expect, but the sadness and the terror of the past year and particularly the last few months did overshadow the usually joyous time of celebration this year, though many Australians didn't let it affect their celebrations. It was still in the back of the minds of many ~ what is going to happen? Will there be an attack? Sydney was put on extra high security alert for the New Years festivities, and so that left people wondering as to how much truth and how much hype was behind the "threats". At times, no one is sure how much to believe, but the events of the last year, particularly after Bali, have left many Australians not just angered, but scared too. Deep down, terror has come to our shores....
This poem is about the seeing in of the New Year, with the overshadow of war and terror in our midst. It speaks of how different life was for most of us growing up ~ how the world has changed in the last few years. How sad it has become. But I make a point of saying that although we don't want to live in fear, we don't need to fight wars of hate etc. when we have a God of love. He is just and true, and He will avenge, not us. We would do well to remember that. In the last stanza, I make a point of saying that all we want is PEACE. And I make mention of the Dove and the PEACE that was illuminated upon the Harbour Bridge at the close of the fireworks last night in Sydney ~ voicing all Australians thoughts ~ for peace. So that is why I call this poem "Happy New Year....of Peace", because it is what we all wish for deep down this year....for always."