Daring to dream: New Year’s 2024
“…if dreams die/ Life is a broken-winged bird/ that cannot fly.”Dreams by Langston Hughes As the ball drops in Times Square to bringthe New Year in, another teen trembles, shakesfrom bullying, is enraged when no one calls them by their name.
Haters hiss at dragstorytellers, toast the holidays with dictators.How can anyone sing Auld lang syne? Clarence, the angel in “It’s a Wonderful Life,”nearly stops caring about getting his wings.Can even an Old Hollywood angel help this world amuck in hate and war?
Youalmost want to write the obit for dreams.To toss them in the dust bin with dead batteries, texts from vexed exes, take-outcontainers.
Yet hope persists. Like a dogthat lives to be 20, though it eats chocolate daily and is never walked. A dad embraceshis queer son.
