To Freedom's Sweet Vintage

My cousin Susan asked me to write a poem for her that she can read at Seder tomorrow night.  She's celebrating with extended family who have their own unique tradition (thanks to the initiative of Joe Fisher) of incorporating poetry into the Haggadah service - it seemed like an opportunity too good to pass up, at least for a poet like me, who is always eager for a chance to swim upstream to mingle with some actual liturgical verse.

To Freedom's Sweet Vintage

for Joe Fisher

For our basic freedoms

A vessel hollow and hallowed

We remain forever grateful

Of none more so than

Freedom from want

Which we have learned

Is vainly pursued

By material means

(since our appetites

will never be sated)

But can only be attained

By cleaving the root

And extracting want

In its entirety

In that spirit 

We gather tonight

 Together cognizant

Of the sufficiency of

Our present blessings

Hoisting our cups filled

With freedom’s sweet vintage

No matter how trampled

The grapes have been

(as you can see for yourself
a poem is no less a vessel 
than a Kiddush Cup)