WINE by Mark Brazaitis

But the news isn't all bad.
Global warming, the Discovery Channel
informs us, makes certain wines taste better,
which means that in twenty years
we might all be vinters. And if grapes are
all we'll be able to grow (on our roofs,
as the deluge swirls around us), well,
if you had to pick one fruit-or vegtable even-
to live on for the rest of your life,
wouldn't you pick the grape? All right,
so I'll miss apples, oranges, pears, and plums.
I'll miss carrots and cucumbers
and the occasional mouthful of spinich.
But raise your hand if you'll mourn Brussels sprouts.
Our economy will be entirely wine based,
with taxes paid in fluid ounces.
Drunk-driving laws will have to be revised, of course.
And the drinking age will be lowered
to three.
This is a future we should celebrate:
a wine bar in every house,
every house a wine bar!
Lift your glass, let us toast-
to wine!
And again-
and again!
You see: before long, we won't remember
what we're missing.