Eulogy writing...

[Artguy]

I was recently put in a position of being the M.C. at my Father's memorial....and when it came to eulogizing I could'nt bring myself to offering the anecdotes about his life as I knew others would....and yet I could'nt find my own words ...so I read Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" ...it was such an amazing fit for my Dad's life....as I was reading it I felt his presence...and it was soothing....

[Lightning Rod]

Kurt,

I found myself writing several eulogies several years ago.

Familly members.

And then my best friend OD'd

this is the eulogy I wrote for him: (sorry about the caps)

----

VOWS IN WASTED SUNSHINE


IN MEMORY OF DAVID DAWSON
(BUDDAHDOUGHBOY, O.P., BEELZEBUBBA)

1947-1991


THERE ARE ALLIANCES
MORE INTIMATE BY FAR
THAN MERE LOVERS
FRIENDSHIP IS A PALE
ARRANGEMENT AND
MARRIAGE A MEAGER UNION
WHEN VIEWED ON THE BACKDROP
OF THIS ASSOCIATION
THIS MONADIC CONFIGURATION
OF WELDED EFFORT CALLED CONSPIRACY
BUT BETTER KNOWN AS
PARTNERS IN CRIME.

ME AND THE O. MAN WERE AS SUCH
TANGLED IN THAT MINUET OF GESTURES
BUT MORE TO THE POINT WE WERE
MUTUALLY SOLUBLE IN ONE ANOTHER
THAT IS WE EXEMPLIFIED YOUR
CLASSIC CASE OF BRAIDED KARMA
WHICH YOU MAY PREFER TO CALL
TANGLED DESTINY
TUMBLING LIKE TWO DARK STOCKINGS
IN THE CLOTHES DRYER
SOFTLY TREADING EVER SOFTLY TREADING WOOLEN BUTTERFLIES
JOGGING TOWARD ETERNITY
NOT FOLLOWING BUT INVENTING PATHS
WITH OUR FOOTPRINTS
SIAMESE QUESTION MARKS JOINED AT
THE CURIOSITY
WE WERE TRANSFORMED, EACH BY THE OTHER'S
PRESENCE TO A THIRD DISCREET COMPOUND
OUR ELEMENTS LOCKED BY CO-VALENT BOND
SWAP ORBITING OBSCURE ELECTRONS
WE BECAME OUR OWN RAGTAG REGIMENT
OF INTREPID SLEUTHS PROBING THE ARCANE
STAN & OLLIE DOING THEIR VERSION OF
HOLMES AND WATSON OR MORE TO THE POINT
SUB-SONIC SIBLINGS OUR TONES HUMMING ALONG
IN UNISON

NOTHING'S HARD
AS LOSING YOUR COMPLIMENT THIS WAY
LIKE YOU FEEL WHEN A PLAYMATE
CALLS IT QUITS WITH YOU ON THE HIGH END OF
THE SEE-SAW: THE HOLLOW
BELLIED SCREAM: THE PANIC SO LIKE A THRILL
OH YES, IT'S THE CLEANEST METAPHOR ON
THE PLAYGROUND THAT SEE-SAW
A PERFECT PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT OF
PURE ABSTRACTS LIKE: TEAMWORK, TRUST AND BETRAYAL,
YIN YANG OPERATIONAL PHENOMENA
(PUSHME-PULLYOUOCITY)
AND NEWTON'S THIRD LAW.

AMONG OUR SHARED HOBBIES AND OBSESSIONS
HAS ALWAYS BEEN GRAZING ON IDEAS OR PERHAPS SNACKING ON
INFORMATION AND TAKE SUCH PRIMARY GLEE IN
THE FUNDAMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GRASPING A CONCEPT
LEARNING IS A JOYOUS PASTIME AND TOO SECURE TO REQUIRE
AN END OR GOAL BUT ITS OWN REWARD
I ALWAYS THOUGHT OUR JAB AT SCIENCE WAS A
BALANCED AFFAIR
WITH YOUR PURE AND MY APPLIED
AND WHILE I SUSPECTED THAT YOU COULD BE
SEDUCED BY A THEORY
I ALWAYS KNEW SOMEHOW THAT YOU WERE TOO SMART TO
BELIEVE IN YOUR OWN AGNOSTICISM.

O.P.
O PERIOD P PERIOD AS IN INITIALS
BEING DISTINCT FROM OPIE THE KID ON ANDY GRIFFITH
O.P. AS IN "OTHER PEOPLES" AS IT WAS ONCE
EXPLAINED TO ME
BY ONE OF HIS ASPIRING DETRACTORS OF WHICH
THERE WERE A FEW
OUTLAW POET IS MORE TO THE POINT I THINK
OH, PSHAW COULD APPLY
ODD PHILOSOPHY
OUTRIGHT PAGAN
OPPOSITE POINT OF VIEW
ONWARD TO THE PARTY
OVER PRICED
OFTEN PLASTERED
OUTCAST PUNK
ORGY PISTON
OVAL PEDAGOGUE
ONLY PEOPLE
OR ACRONYM FOR OPERATOR, OPINIONATED
OUT TO PLEASE
OLD PAL
obvious paternity
oh, phuck, o.p.
whydja go?
dammit
ya got me so I can't even remember if we decided
that the one who got the eulogy won or lost
either way you get the honors on this one, ole pal
you took the big peek, took it first and as usual you
have me wondering
wondering not where you are...hell, I know that
you're right here with me in my heart and in the
hearts of all those that love you
but I wonder if wherever you are...
DO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING YET?

[judih]

For everyone who knows how to write a eulogy, i am more in awe of the ability to deliver it.
At such a time, one's voice is often way down in the lower gut.
Delivery is the greatest miracle.

i couldn't do it for my young student
i could for my mother-in-law.

Thomas' do not go gentle is a beautiful send-off.
So sorry for your loss, Kurt.

L-R, so glad you've been able to read what you've created. Off they go down the ghost path, over the styx, into the bardo and a friendly voice certainly marks the way with affection.