New Year’s Eve Poem, 2025
by Penelope Page Van Voorst
This Poem is simple. The idea is short, so I’ll try to make this poem the same.
So everyone here will be mentioned in short, but with someone else linked to their name.
So each of us here with another is paired, another from some other tome;
Our counterparts found in the stories we hear, the comparison made for this poem.
Now please do excuse all the poor acronyms, as the spelling does not always match.
I did try my best, but the letters, you see, were all hard to pin down or to catch.
So here is my poem, my book-flavored toast, a toast to our year and our life,
And if the comparisons seem a bit stretched, then you may stick them in your eye.
D is for Trufflehunter, stalwart and brave, and a creature of habits for sure.
He is loyal and careful and deliberate and firm, his means and his motives are pure.
He’s careful in loyalty, but once determined, he’d give up his all for the right.
He’s wise and determined, his face is all furry, with fur that is black striped with white.
M is for Marmee—well that one lines up—whose days are all busy and full.
She manages children and cooking and schoolwork and life, as she says, isn’t dull.
She’s patient and loving, and works on a budget; she’s Dutch in her use of her funds.
With Marmee around, life is never a bore, and she’s always on hand to have fun.
A is for Monte, the Christo-ish kind, the kind with the money and guns.
The kind who likes everyone getting what’s owed, especially when justice is done.
The kind who experiments lightly with gore, then decides that that’s going too far.
The kind of explorer who wants to go somewhere, do something that gets him a scar.
P is for Oskar N. Reteep, a collector of books and of tales.
She’s maybe a bit timid, and perhaps a bit slow, but in mind-work she quite rarely fails.
She likes to do puzzles and quote random books and try not to go out in the world.
She does love her comfort, and regular eating, and she might be a little bit rounded in the middle from eating all the time…
F is for Borimir, strong and determined, who follows his own winding path.
His love for his friends is unbounded and fierce, but unbounded and fierce is his wrath.
He’s boisterous and loud and a warrior of strength, and his power is like a volcano.
He’s brave and defiant and one of a kind. (Though I don’t think Borimir’s a soprano.)
L is for Lucy—See! That one lines up!—the Pevensie loving and kind.
She’s tiny and charming and looks in a wardrobe ‘cause she doesn’t know what she’ll find.
Her size is no hindrance to her many talents, on her you can always depend.
She’ll make you her friend whether you want or not, and so everyone now is her friend.
R is for Little John, stalwart and brave, with a life that is daring and wild.
He’s loyal and staunch with fidelity too, and he isn’t very easily riled.
He’s loud and exotic, he’ll wrestle with anyone, and if he does, he will then win.
He’s faithful and loyal, he’d die for his friends, the best henchman there ever has been.
C is for Pippi, with Stockings all Long, who lives in her own little home.
She cares like a mother and reads to her baby and cleans up her own little room.
She’ll go on adventures and even to school, she’ll hold her own (and her own toys.)
She’s careful and tasteful and does her own hair, and she isn’t afraid of no boys.
J is for Anne, of Green Gables, that is, who is feisty and loves reading books.
She’s quite independent and speaks out her mind when anyone pokes fun at her looks.
She likes to go out on her own when she can, but she’ll follow her dear bosom friend.
She’s perky and funny and sharp and determined, and her will is what no man can bend.
O is for Ralph S Mouse, the fearless, who goes on where other men faint.
She’s great at facing all kinds of adventure, but her survival instincts aren’t great…
She’s tiny and quick and likes to go fast, but her heart is as large as her eyes.
She won’t ever settle for less than she’s owed, and her will is quite large for her size.
K is for Hurree, the Babu, of course, who is chubby and careful and brave.
He can always be counted on when in a pinch, though he’ll tell you he’s nobody’s slave.
He loves to add drama and flair when he can, and wipes away tears on occasion.
He likes to do things on his own when he can, he’s inquisitive, loves mild exploration.
E is for Mary, the Miss Quite Contrary, determined and brave, a bit proud.
She has strong opinions about what she thinks, and the things that she thinks are quite loud.
She doesn’t have time or the patience for pity, she’ll bring out your best and your strength.
She’ll get what she wants if she’s willing to scream, and her screaming can reach quite a length.
So here is my poem, my ode to my family, the best family that there could be.
If we are imperfect, then I wouldn’t change it. I love every one of you, you see.
So let’s raise a glass, all full of good cheer,
‘Cause 2025’s been an excellent year!
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New Year’s Eve Poem
Van Voorst Family Year in Review
December 31, 2025
Tonight, we are gathered to count all our blessings
In gratitude giving our thanks and confessing
That life is much better than we could deserve
And God gives us grace, not what we have earned
So, let’s take this moment to pause and say, “Thanks!”
To look back on all of the goodness Christ gave
For this bounty of blessings and length of our days
Let’s fill up this place with the fullness of praise
I’ll start at the top and work my way down
Beginning with me the most experienced clown
So, just wait your turn and you’ll hear your name
Patience, my friends, is the name of the game
My year began with a humbling offer
To join the church session as one of its elders
At first I had doubts, but at last I agreed
And Monday thru Friday I post all the memes
Meanwhile, you mom has been busy with school
And teaching you all how to avoid being fools
She made fire cider and made a few bucks
She set up a red light and read a few books
Atticus began driving Goldie at night
He’s building an arsenal and drawing at night
He listens to podcasts and works on his manga
He works on the farm and he’s getting much stronga
Penelope passed all the clep tests she took
She’s wrote a few songs and then wrote a few books
She began babysitting and still drinks her eggs
She salts all her water and bugs bite her legs
Finneas had fun with his new church friend, Willie
He smoked some cigars and found time to be silly
Joined Third Friday movies and did two years of school
He’s funny and firm and exceptionally cool
Laurelai grew in some friendships at church
She plays Administration and reads in her nook
She likes to draw pictures and helps with the mopping
She likes to smile and has no plans of stopping
Rocco has learned to come out of his shell
He runs and he screams and he dances and yells
He created High Power and wrestles his neighbors
He jumps off the bed and sleeps in his boxers
Callista’s a mini-mom who runs a tight ship
If something’s a mess, she is sure to clean it
She likes Bible stories and songs about verses
She likes girly things like earrings and pink purses
Juniper is an eleven incarnate
She laughs and she cries like a bee’s in her bonnet
She loves to give hugs and to pick up the babies
She sits on my lap and let’s others too… maybe
Ophelia is just the funniest lady
She likes to tell jokes and act like she’s crazy
She calls bacon “sausage,” Her eyes are two worlds
She likes to eat ice and wear dresses that twirl
Knox is the chubbiest bubbiest boy
He makes funny sounds as he plays with his toys
His belly is big and his guys are his wows
He used to drink goat milk, but now its from cows
Eulalie’s the stringiest beaniest gal
She likes to be held… at least for a while
She’s muscle and hustle and hungry for more
She’s always an adventure and never a bore
So that is our family and that was our year
The world may be changing, but we’re still right here
So here’s to our family and here’s to our friends
Next year we will do this all over again
To be a Van Voorst is, of course, a delight
And to be full of joy is to join in the fight
For this feasting's a foretaste of where we are going
A land rich with milk and with honey o’erflowing
So tonight we say, “thank You” and look forward to more
And tonight we say, “cheers!” like we’ve been here before.
So here’s to the year and to many more like it
So raise up your cups and your spirits just like it
By this time next year, in a brand new December
We’ll have more things to praise and new things to remember
We’ll have more things to list and more grace to applaud
More memories, more bliss, and more blessings from God
So, here’s to our God and the fun and the fight
And here’s to our Lord for there’s no King but Christ!
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