[A New Song] The Water in the Fountain

A rueful rumination in 7/8, dedicated to my friend Göran Bergstrom

©2025 by John Mendelsohn. All rights reserved.

I’ve never dared to shoot the moon
Through graveyards I whistled out of tune
My ticket\s going to be punched soon
I won’t pretend I’m not scared
A brief reprIeve is all I ask
and maybe some vodka for my flask
to help me perform this final task
and then to rest in peace

I never climbed the mountain
The water in the fountain
is there to drown in, not drink
Beware!

I had a girl in every port
Love was my favorite contact sport
Who dreamed that life would be so short
and very seldom sweet?
My palate wasn’t always cleft
All I’ll confess is petty theft
How can there be so little left
of all that stole from you?

The higher, it seems, a person climbs
the less prosecution for his crimes
These surely aren’t the best of times
Some say that they’re the worst
I’m apt to be jailed for what I seek
Oh, to be strong! I’m feeling weak
Trying to sing I barely speak
Nowhere to run or hide

My Swedish friend Göran Bergstrom is at once one of the sweetest people I know, one of the smartest, and one of the most tortured-from-within. I would love it if you sent him a friendly message on Facebook. or even requested his friendship. Your doing so might bring a little light into his life. Lovers of dogs may feel an especial affinity to him.