What a year it's been for us,

The world, it seems, in such a fuss.

Putin, Isis, Mideast storming,

Not to mention global warming.

Words and phrases took a jump,

Inflated just like Donald Trump.

Give him credit, he's no stooge;

Everything he did was "YUUUUGE!"

Hil met Bernie, he did rail

'Bout focus on her "damn email."

Other pols spewed dreary dreck:

"Moving the needle," "all hands on deck."

At "high-level talks" they hyped "moral suasion,"

"Doubled down" on ev'ry occasion.

A Triple Crown! Our breaths we held,

But even "Pharoah" was misspelled.

In trendy lingo, buzzwords flew:

"I can't even," "You do you!"

"Iconic," "curate," these were "legit";

"Drone" and "deflategate" just wouldn't quit.

When someone praised us, we all bumbled,

Blushing that we're "very humbled."

Liberals gave us, in their lessons,

"Privilege," "triggers," "micro-aggressions."

Standing out, among the chatter,

Was the mantra "Black Lives Matter."

When sadness caught us unawares,

We offered up our "thoughts and prayers."

And every boomer, from Napa to SoHo,

Took a risk while shouting "YOLO"!

(Which, it happens, may explain

Why Ashley's website had their names.)

"Millennials," too, pursued their yak;

For them, a shortcut was a "hack."

Their gossip was "tea," their posse, a "squad."

"Got me like," "catfish" swam in their pods.

Leading the ranks of their buzzword parade:

"I kinda love that," "fam," "turnt" and "slayed."

Business executives added pollutions

By "boiling the ocean," devising "solutions."

"Drilling down" and "reaching out,"

"Thought leaders" tossed their jargon about.

They found their "swim lanes," "pulled on the same oar,"

Asked, "What's the takeaway?" Gosh, what a bore!

So what's the "narrative" for twenty-sixteen?

"Moving forward," our hopes are quite keen.

Let's vow to keep our language clear,

And promise ourselves a "hashtag" new year!

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

Photo credit: See-ming Lee