This week is the final time in 2011 we will meet here at the Pub to share our observations, feelings and words. The next time we meet it will be 2012. Can you imagine?

I’m Joe Hesch and I’ll be tending bar at the pre-New Year’s edition of Open Link Night. The funny hats and little horns are at the end of the bar. The noisemakers you’ll find if  you push that Mr. Linky button at the end of this intro.

It is at this time of year that many of us look back upon the last twelve months and assess where we’ve been. And, by that same token, we look forward to a new year and how we might resolve to make things different (and hopefully better) in the next twelve months.

But really, as artists, we should be concerned with the moment, the only time that we have. This old year is near-complete and we cannot change a thing about it now. Tomorrow, or January 1st, or March 23rd are out ahead of us and there will always be more of them, whether we’re around to participate in them or not. But Now, this very moment, and the next–as Now becomes the past–is our time, where we live and create. It’s where we are present. In this case, we are present together, celebrating moments when we as artists were mindful of our creating, our being. And here we share those moments, celebrate them, as we celebrate the passing of what was 2011.

One of the most famous poems connected with the passing of the old and the birth of the new year is brought to us by the great Scots poet Robert Burns. As we look back at 2011, not at our victories or losses, sad times or glad, but merely to inform our present, I think there is no better poem for this time, this crowd, and this wonderful place than, of course, “Auld Lang Syne.” I’m told that title can be translated to mean “the old days.” Here’s a wee translation of three verses so this dim Yank poet/bartender can understand the poem:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne ?

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

and surely I’ll buy mine !

And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Here’s to us, we poets, we readers, we colleagues here at dVerse, where each week we serve and quaff many cups of kindness.

Here’s how you can share with us.

▪       Post a poem to your blog,

▪       Link your poem to dVerse (1 per blog, please) by clicking on the Mr.Linky button below.

▪       This opens a new screen where you’ll enter your information, and where you also choose links to read. Once you have pasted your poem’s blog url and entered your name, click Submit. Don’t worry if you don’t see your name right away.

▪       Don’t forget to let your readers know where you’re linking up and encourage them to participate by including a link to dVerse in your blog post.

▪       Visit as many other poems as you like or can, commenting  as you like or can, as well.

Spread the word on the poems you enjoy if you’d like. Feel free to tweet and share on the social media of your choice.

Oh, and have a splendid New Year!