JOHN ("JAKE") COSMOS ALLER - THE YEAR THAT WAS

​John (“Jake”) Cosmos Aller is a novelist, poet, and former Foreign Service officer having served 27 years with the U.S. State Department serving in ten countries (Korea, Thailand, India, the Eastern Caribbean (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia, and St Vincent) and Spain. Prior to joining the U.S. State Department, Jake taught overseas for eight years. Jake served in the Peace Corps in Korea. He grew up in Berkeley but has lived in Seattle, Stockton, Washington DC, Alexandria, Virginia and Medford, Oregon. He has traveled to over 45 countries and 49 states. He has been writing poetry, fiction, and novels for years. He has completed four SF novels and is seeking publication. His work has appeared in numerous literary magazines online. His poetry blog can be found at https://theworldaccordingtocosmos.com

the year that was
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January 

The world watches in amazement
Longest shut down in history
Watching it all in Korea
contemplating escaping the cold winter

February 

World watches as North Korea and the US
Walking back from the brink of war
escaping the cold winter blues
revisiting Vietnam after 15 years

March 

The chaos president continues his chaos tour
the world begins to ignore his constant insane tweets
heading back to DC inspecting property
seeing old friends glad I retired

April 

the chaos King’s policy remains a shamble
as the Mueller team closes in 
in Korea I write a  poem a day
and begin to become a publish writer

May 

watching from afar
the chaos in DC and the world 
traveling to DC to inspect property
celebrating my wife’s big 60

June 

the President walks away
from a  non deal with the North Koreans
I am back in DC 
end up cruising to Alaska 


July 

watching the insanity in DC
while visiting Alaska, Seattle and Yakima 
visiting my father’s grave in Yakima 
communing with family ghosts


August 

the dog days of summer the world is consumed
wars, rumors of war, trade wars 

retuning to Korea 
surviving the August sauna like summer
 
September 

The whistle blower sets off a bomb
the president lies no quid for quo perfect all
trying to avoid watching the news
hiking in the Korean mountains with old friends


October 

the President flitters about my crisis after another
the UN diplomats laugh at him national humiliation
returning to DC  yet again more property blues 
celebrating my 64th year orbiting the sun

November 

the House starts formal impeachment hearings
watching fascinated by the impeachment drama
entering my third NoVoWrMo competition with Timeless Love
ending the month sudden surprise trip to Okinawa

December

the year ends on a high dramatic
President Trump becomes the 3rd impeached President
hiking enjoying the late autumn like weather
contemplating my wealth at the end of the year

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