Monday, June 23, 2008

Twenty Lines for George Carlin

Would that you could have been half as funny
and twice as happy, you obstinate lover
of all of the words, and all of the freedoms,
you might have seen your bleakest predictions
spoiled and foiled by patient improvement.

Did you ever notice that warm, goofy brilliance
escapes through the gaps among gathering clouds?
Did you ever notice that truth only hurts,
because "hurt" is four fifths of truth?
G.E.O.R….G.E.! …O.R.!... G.E.!...O.R.! …G.E.!

One night, as the party was starting to fade,
our host spun “an Evening With Wally Lando”.
We found ourselves crammed into one little bedroom,
or crouched in its doorway, bisected by laughter -
Your name is but one thing that goes on forever.....

From whatever corner you’ve found for your stuff,
I hope you are able to hear what I whisper
again and again, as I pause to remember:
“Now you can dance forever, O Wally:
Now you can dance forever.”

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