Wine in the bottle

Let us spare ourselves a friendly word

For the finest things that ne'er occurred

For the war and rhyme and infidelity

We dreamt but that weren't meant to be.

To the stories passionately told

Of Cleopatra in her gown of gold,

And dancing girls whose eyes are bold,

Leering at the soft and old.

To important drunkards and their tales

Of success in which the whole world fails

A toast to each, and for each a round

And a turned ear out for every sound.

To fishes caught, the size of manses,

To exotic women and their dances

To daring do done without fear-

Heroic feats I see from here.

I raise my glass and bow my head

To heroic, happy quick and dead

The tree of patriots who fled,

Fertilized with blood unshed

For in our faith and our delusions

We're martyrs made without contusions

The tree of liberty was sappened

With history that never happened.

As one, we'll revel in the pasts

That one day will come true, at last.

The most compelling that make most sense

Are told with nostalgia in future tense.

-Thos. Jefferson

HISTORICAL, adj. Of or pertaining to remembered expectations.