Year’s End

by Shirley Crow Stephens

On New Year’s Day

I look in the glass,

And reflect upon

The year that is past.

I’m one year bigger,

But that doesn’t show,

For growing happens

To be very slow.

I’m smarter by a year,

A grade higher in school,

But I still find it hard

To obey every rule.

Today is the day

To think how to be better,

How to improve myself

Letter by letter.

For me, being better

Is ever so tough.

I wonder, I wonder,

Is one year enough?