Posted on behalf of Prof Derrick Moot.
In all of my life, 26 years with my wife, I don’t think that there has been
A year to remember, from Jan to December, as tumultuous as twenty sixteen
Post truth we are now, but we got here how? An unfathomable political season
For Brexit we know, the seeds it did sow, for the world to lose all sense of reason
The chance was remote, but the UK did vote, to tell Europe “goodbye see you later”
We’re off on our own, we’ll go it alone, dear neighbours now you know “we all hate ya”
You’ve taken the jobs, from our English yobs, illegally undermined our great nation
Thanks for the chance, to finally lance, the boil that festered called globalization
We haven’t got work, that really does irk, too competitive that cheap labour in Asia
Then asked what to do, Boris didn’t have a clue, said let’s all elect Mother Theresa
So the splintered UK, must altogether pray, that Mistress May’s plan is easy to follow
Licking the cream, a Brexiters dream, but a Euro deal will be much harder to swallow
At the time it seemed bad, many even said sad, that missing voters had finally spoken,
Brexit now seems trivial, almost convivial compared with the rust belt now awoken
Replacing Obama, an elegant charmer, with Trump for President is truly frightening,
For he did despatch, Hillary was no match, the truth, tweeted away faster than lightening.
The Trump campaign, bordered on insane, appealed to the lost and disaffected
Worse is to come, he’s screwed the scrum, oil industry insiders have now infected
Trump is a fool, his lobbyists rule, they won’t help the workers that got him elected
In the dead of the night, liberals will have to fight, to ensure immigrants aren’t ejected
He won’t build a wall, and one day he’ll fall, but four years of lies and deceit lay ahead
His keyboard skills, will cause diplomacy spills, common sense and science both dead
Now we will see, Donald run the country, with his mates to help – sit back and relax
Businessmen to run, the US economy for fun, watch them do that and never pay tax
And as for trade, that’s a Chinese charade, US factories will make all that we need
Tariffs are good, just misunderstood, we’ll add them to make the rest of you bleed
Unless we make the rules, free trade is for fools, and the climate, really isn’t changing
And so I do think, that this ship might sink, while Donald’s on deck, chairs re-arranging
Our world as we know it, once said a poet, is precious and delicate as a flower
A fragile place, small viewed from space, are we approaching its darkest hour?
Or has that already been, through this 2016, when humanity seemed to let go
Compassion was lost, Russians hardened by frost, unforgiveable destruction in Aleppo
This ode is too sad, too dark said my lad, please find us some glimmers of fun
Pokeman Go, put on quite a show, sent keyboard stuck teenagers out in the sun
And also this year, there was plenty to cheer, the Olympics seem a long time ago
Our athletes did race, with plenty of grace, Nikki Hamblin made friends in Rio,
We kept a close eye, on a kiwi who could fly, Eliza vaulted way up with no worry
And everyone knew, a talented crew, rowed unbeaten for years – Bond and Murray
The All Blacks did win, and Aaron did sin, in a toilet block before he took flight
Get a room young man, or you’ll face a ban, you know public trysts just ain’t right!
Next year we’ll be, without Teflon John Key, New Zealand is set for our election
Will it be right or left, or are they all bereft, of ideas that can win them selection?
Whatever the result, at least we can’t fault, the way we will get our Prime Minister
No Electoral College, or inside Russian knowledge, will make our election so sinister
What can we do, so people see through, false statements and media seduction?
Be true to your word, speak and be heard, don’t allow social and political corruption
Each small step we add, to stop what is bad, band together and you have a movement
Use science that’s strong, there is no better song, for economic and social improvement.
So as this year ends, I say to you friends, do your bit as you can with clear conscience
Progress each day, in your own way, to provide facts to help see thru the nonsense
I hope you are well, with a story to tell, of the times that you did spend at Lincoln
Where ever you are, here near or far, your most precious asset is to always be thinkin’
