Chanukah's candles are ablaze, renewing the miracle of lights,

Soon comes Christmas, bringing the season to new heights.

The scrivener scrambles to compile a great list

Of politicians and others the limelight has kissed.

Many hunt headlines, they're clever and witty,

But it's not always easy running the state or the city.

Rookie Governor Carcieri excelled at a job most dire,

Presiding over the aftermath of the West Warwick fire.

For state and local officials, a remaining task is pressing:

Turn The Station site into a memorial that will be for a blessing.

This is House Speaker Bill Murphy's opportunity to shine,

To put in his hometown a tribute handsome and fine.

Town Council Prez Jeanne-Marie DiMasi is pitching it too,

Everyone else should join in until the project is through.

With so many National Guard members away in the war,

General Reginald Centracchio must maintain the esprit de corps.

In Providence, Mayor David Cicilline tries to turn the city around

From where Buddy Cianci left it, financially gagged and bound.

We're way past the days when this state was a joke.

Give the dreidel a spin, wrap the presents in blue,

Our congressional delegation well represents you.

Who was that solon with Hillary Clinton in Iraq?

Come on, you know him, it was Senator Reed, Jack.

To figure out how Senator Lincoln Chafee will vote

Look at other Republicans; he'll do the opposite by rote.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy won't leave you in the lurch,

Even if it means antagonizing the Roman Catholic Church.

And in what I thought was a nice ecumenical call,

Rep. Jim Langevin wore a yarmulke at Jerusalem's Western Wall.

State general officers know that moving up is no cinch:

Charles Fogarty, Matt Brown, Paul Tavares, Patrick Lynch.

In federal court, Judge William Smith has been atop

The case of the Narragansett Indians' tax-free smoke shop.

When Rhode Island police raided the Charlestown store,

Superintendent Steve Pare became part of state lore.

Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas spoke with anger and pride,

Often with First Councilman Randy Noka by his side.

Carcieri tapped Brown President Ruth Simmons to inquire

Why tempers had flared higher and higher.

In another courtroom, Judge Mary Lisi presided,

To the dismay of many, who thought her one-sided.

This was the Cornel Young case, brought by Leisa, his mother,

Who was cheered on by many, of one race or another.

I'll remember two especially they endured many waits:

That would be Shakira Abdullah and Irene Bates.

City attorney Joe Penza could make any witness a wreck -

Lisi threw out a Young lawyer, the famed Barry Scheck.

Speaking of federal jurists, one looms as a giant:

Appeals Judge Bruce Selya, who's articulate and reliant.

In the state court system, two men have joined the Supremes:

Paul Suttell and Frank Flaherty, from the GOP and Democratic teams.

Chief Justice Frank Williams presides amid intellectual tension:

What will these folks do about Ed DiPrete's pension?

We mourn a loss when we look at that bench -

Victoria Lederberg's gone and that is a wrench.

Superior Court Presiding Justice Joe Rodgers keeps things from driftin';

Regards to Judges Alice Gibney, Steve Fortunato, Ed Clifton.

Now over to the legislature, where politics is the rule,

And Senate President Bill Irons occasionally loses his cool.

Senators Juan Pichardo and Rhoda Perry have flair,

And Liz Roberts and Sue Sosnowski say, "Smokers, beware!"

In the House, Peter Ginaitt and Anastasia Williams gain fame;

Without Steve Costantino and Mel Benson, the place wouldn't be the same.

Say, do you think Majority Leader Gordon Fox will emerge all right

From the GTECH controversy that's in the news day and night?

If not, it may be because he's feeling the pinch

From new Ethics Commission chairman James Lynch.

Watchdogs are essential to monitor government sin -

A word of thanks to Bob Arruda, Phil West, Sara Quinn.

The legislature employs aides like Frank Anzeveno, David Cruise:

These guys have huge salaries well, they long paid their dues.

Among others there who have acquired heft and might:

Meet Peggy Forbes, Larry Berman and Marisa White.

Get out the egg nog, quaff down a few,

It takes all kinds of people to make a political stew.

They include staffers, advisers and campaign hands,

They're born with public service or electoral glands:

Laurie White, Patricia Martinez, Joe Fleming, Jeff Neal,

Add Deb Smith and Pich Chhoeun and you have quite a deal.

Also Serena Conley, Jane Hayward, Bev Najarian, Tomas Avila,

Add Sue Pegden and Amy Gabarra you're cooking for real-a.

Some folks work for state parties, even when fortunes are leaner:

Patricia Morgan, Adam Compton, Bill Lynch, Melba Depeña.

You should get to know staff chiefs like Carcieri's Ken McKay,

And Cicilline's Mike Mello these guys hold great sway.

But let's also give a nod to the aides in Advance

Without them, top pols would wander off in a trance. .

Aaron Guckian and Ron De Siderato always are trying to learn:

They tell Carcieri and Cicilline where they should turn.

Of course the best way to influence the gov,

Is through first lady Sue, his East Greenwich High love.

Dave Duffy and Bernie Buonanno will get you out of your funk:

One chairs the Convention Center, the other The Dunk.

The sheriff's department became famous for oddities in staffing,

But with Gary Dias now in charge, nobody's laughing.

A warning to anyone who'd be a murderer or thief:

Dean Esserman is on the job as Providence chief.

He's smart and he's tough, and charming when smiling,

Now let's see what he does about racial profiling.

Many pols win City Council seats later or sooner:

John Lombardi, Balbina Young, Luis Aponte, Miguel Luna.

Clear the tracks, hope for a ribbon-cutting

For a Warwick train station, the airport abutting.

Mayor Scott Avedisian would enjoy his finest hour -

I'd call this an excellent use of political power.

Hail to Brown profs Darrell West and Fayneese Miller,

And RIC's Nancy Gewirtz, an old friend and community pillar.

At URI, Linda Levin teaches aspiring scribes,

And Maureen Moakley tells would-be pols, "No bribes!"

In Cianci's regime, aide Patricia McLoughlin stood out as benign,

You can find her now at the Rhode Island School of Design.

If you're in need of lawyers, this family's not borin' -

Look up the Zuriers: Mel, Sam, and Lauren.

Jack McConnell battles tobacco and lead paint makers

And dabbles in politics (but avoiding the fakers).

If you're in a court battle on a First Amendment case

Joe Cavanagh's your man on free-press issues, he's an ace.

If reinforcements are wanted, phone the ACLU's Steve Brown

And he'll find you a barrister of equal renown.

Business leaders who represent the best of their breed:

Anne Szostak, Neil Steinberg, Buff Chace, Cheryl Snead.

Which reminds me, before this poem gets out of hand,

We want to wish all the best to Rich Lupo at the Strand.

Frank Montanaro reigns as AFL-CIO president,

Bob Walsh is a Cicilline ally and labor resident.

Behold the effort Elizabeth Burke Bryant and Barbara Cottam mount

To make sure every Rhode Island kid's in the count.

Analee Wulfkuhle and Jeffrey Chase-Lubitz perform mitzvahs so fair,

At a most worthy organization: Home & Hospice Care.

Where's affordable housing? There's not much help from the Feds,

Yet Noreen Shawcross works to put roofs over folks' heads.

At Amos House, which Deb Brayton ran for so many days,

The director now in charge is Eileen Hayes.

Clergy can stir your conscience and give you a jolt,

None does it better than the Rev. John Holt.

If you're overcome by life's pressures and bustle,

Consult the First Unitarian Church's Rev. Richelle Russell.

Bishop Robert Mulvee's leadership warms Catholic church pews;

Rabbis Wayne Franklin and Jim Rosenberg are beloved by the Jews.

And Rabbi Les Gutterman deserves a standing ovation,

As does his fiancée, Janet Engelhart, of the Jewish Federation.

Bob Antignano has made Angelo's restaurant smoke-free,

And still employs the acclaimed waitress, Christine Manfredi.

Owner Alan Costantino, chef Sal Cefaliello excel as they toil,

At Venda Ravioli, home of pasta, bread, gelato, and oil.

Rhode Island certainly has produced its share of good cooks,

They include Joan Nathan, author of many great books.

Over in sports, which dominate the radio and the telly,

Our hat is off to Rhode Island's own Rocco Baldelli.

There is no one of whom we are fonder

Than Pawtucket Red Sox owner Ben Mondor.

And his pals Mike Tamburro and Lou Schwechheimer,

That final name is one tough rhymer.

Still, putting this poem together is far from taxin',

When you can include golfers Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon.

And colleagues from the land of news:

Deb Becker and Jim Taricani are the ones we choose.

In the new year may illness and poverty cease -

But above all else, we pray for peace.

M. Charles Bakst, The Journal's political columnist, can be reached by e-mail at mbakst@projo.com