December of 2001... 

I met my love around this time last year
When all the Christmas lights were cheerfully lit.
The festive holiday moods all around me now
brought back familiar warmth despite the frosty, frigid weather.

All the store windows are already decorated
With snow flakes and tinkering bells.
People hustled and bustled along
Throughout the busy streets of Time Square.

There is no evidence of a bear market
As holiday shoppers hauled along
their soon-to-be-wrapped presents.
Their faces didn’t say:

“DOW has dropped over one hundred points today.”
Nor did their expressions read
That there is a damn war raging on in the Middle East,
And blood have continued to shed after September 11th…

But if you look up to read the news
Scrolling away in the electronic marquee,
It will hit you to the core of your spirit…
That things are just solemnly different this year.