Once upon a time
I saw you turn water into wine
The wine sat alone in the cellar
And no one has the guts to tell her
While wine gets better with age
She’s just muddy vinegar at this stage

Watching the change to fascist regimes
Leonard Cohen haunts my walking dreams
The promise that Democracy will finally come
Orwellian nightmares causing my soul to numb
Though you’ve yet to be grabbed or kissed
Each of us have a duty to stand and resist

Should I even be here at my age,
Watching amateur actors prance on the stage?
What advice could I dare bequeath them,
A tip of the hat, a sad and sincere “Shalom aleikhem”
I could try and turn vinegar back into wine
Maybe it would have worked, once upon a time.

1/26-1/28/17

Added 2/17/17: There is now a video available of me reading this poem:

Added 3/25/17: You can also just listen to the audio, if you wish: