A Poem For The Happy(?) New Year

My friend Brian has penned a thought-provoking new poem for the new year, and graciously allowed me to reprint it here.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

2014 well here it comes

folks are hungry and homeless
and for many it seems
the situations quite hopeless

The fat cats still gaining

while the poor go without
and the government ignoring
the people as they shout

We're hungry

We're cold

Will this new year

merely mimic the old

The money that's spent

killing folks far away
how's that protect us
have we gone that astray

The needs of our people

really ought to come first
feeding our hunger
quenching our thirst

Can't we stop all the war

Can't we help heal our sick

Why don't we put roofs over some heads

c'mon we've got plenty of brick

And this killing at home

the violence we have
do we not have a cure
is there really no salve

But Hey, Happy New Year

Go Head Shout Whoo-Hoo
But I Gotta Ask
Happy For Who
written by Brian McLaughlin