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Red Eyes Monster Makers, Funerals, and Birthdays

I’ve seen a lot of airports lately. As a matter of fact I’m currently in another, waiting to board the red eyed monster maker. I miss my bed, but it’s not all bad. No, not at all. Airports give me time to contemplate death, dying, and funerals. By that I mean time to discover the obsessively numerous poems about death, dying, and funerals that Emily Dickinson wrote.

I Felt a Funeral in My Brain is my new favorite — having felt a funeral or two in the old noggin as of late.

I also missed Leanard Cohen’s birthday. So, as I discreetly down my pre-flight Ativan with a double tumblr gin and tonic nice cold ice water, I toast a happy belated Birthday to the old poet with The Civil Wars’ cover of Cohen’s Dance Me To The End Of Love.

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24 Thoughts on “Red Eyes Monster Makers, Funerals, and Birthdays

  1. People in airports always seem to have something much more interesting to do than I do. I always wondered what they were doing. Now I know :)
    Bone recently posted..This is really hardMy Profile

  2. How nice for you that airports give you time to explore Dickinson’s obsession with death in full.

    Speaking of funerals, that song/poem is perfect for a wedding or a funeral. I’ve never heard it before.
    kait recently posted..Black With OwlsMy Profile

  3. Some airports are more interesting than others, and some are just plain scary. Newark airport (just one of many examples), is a great place to contemplate death. As a matter of fact it’s almost mandatory to contemplate death while there.

    Love this cover Coop. Thanks.
    jacob recently posted..HummmMy Profile

  4. The Red Eye works for me I sleep like a baby on planes.

    Have you ever seen Aaron Goffman’s faN film set to this song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV5jjzwF5IU

    The Civil Wars’ cover is probably the best I’ve heard.
    ben recently posted..As the 9/11 Anniversary ApproachesMy Profile

  5. You better be in SF and not Seattle because I haven’t received a call.

    I saw The Civil Wars here in June.

    Death and dying, all in a days work.

    Sadly.

  6. Weird but I woke up thinking about how Emily Dickinson wrote many romantic poems but died a virgin (at least that’s what they say.) It had nothing at all to do with my dreams. More I think to do with being blocked yet I have lived and am living….
    pia recently posted..9/11/11My Profile

  7. Great cover of the song coop. Your side bar musical choices are good too.

    Having spent most of my adult life traveling for work I don’t envy you.

    Changi and Dubai are great layovers if you get the chance though.

  8. What’s weirder still is that I woke up thinking aboutEmily Dickinson, the drunkard:

    I taste a liquor never brewed –
    From Tankards scooped in Pearl –
    Not all the Frankfort Berries
    Yield such an Alcohol!

    Inebriate of air – am I –
    And Debauchee of Dew –
    Reeling – thro’ endless summer days –
    From inns of molten Blue –

    When “Landlords” turn the drunken Bee
    Out of the Foxglove’s door –
    When Butterflies – renounce their “drams” –
    I shall but drink the more!

    Till Seraphs swing their snowy Hats –
    And Saints – to windows run –
    To see the little Tippler
    Leaning against the – Sun!
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  9. Red-eyed wearied and torn worn-weary of sonambulist’s flight
    The requiem be of tides, time last
    Drunkards drink.
    Be really, be dread the Egyptians path of dread,
    Be really of you of me unmeant
    Steeling hyphenated dreams

    Be you be mine in that wedlock, of surnames dilutions.

    Pointing, wondering in dreams Boheme.

    That times, times lost, never dreamt of exponentiality in selves-self [cheating] rhymality.

    And the dream of death, the clothing of a scorpio, believing – knowing flight’s plight in Egyptian Croquet,

    Be a friend, perhaps allwings some day in Egypt’s egyptian “coming forth by day” be earth, be heaven in Lord’s willing way.

    Covering his tracks perhaps >>>

  10. I’ve been flying a lot lately too. I don’t fly as well as I used to. It’s very possible I’m not as young as I used to be.
    Chris- The Fold recently posted..Bachmann Fears Muslim Missiles in CubaMy Profile

  11. Yeah, please dance me to the end of love as fast as you can. The sooner the better.

    We can only suppose about Emily. There was no twitter, blog or facebook for her — if only.
    g recently posted..Goodnight IreneMy Profile

  12. Hey, that’s a nice poem. And all the songs from Various Positions are classics to me. That was the first Leonard Cohen album I heard way back in the day.