The Enlightenment Lounge

I went to bed and dreamt I died
could see my body from up high
“sorry he’s got no insurance”,
said the doctors with a sigh

and I floated beyond the ceiling
a moonbeam showed the path,
a familiar stranger took my hand
the pain was gone, at last

are you taking me to heaven?
he frowned and shook his head
a jolt of fear shot thru my soul,
not the other place instead!

we stepped into a crowded room
a finger pointed from his cloak
men sat at booths and tables
in different styles of clothes

Copernicus was teasing Luther
Da Vinci and Kepler joked
Franklin was roasting Bacon
Freud was enjoying a smoke

Beethoven was playing Mozart
Gutenberg sang the lead
Shakespeare was eying the ladies
while Picasso poured the drinks

I asked Nietzsche if this was “it”
he looked at me and smiled
said no son, this is a gathering
where enlightenment’s endowed

so I drank a beer with Darwin
Newton and Edison got in a fight
Galileo and Gandhi broke them up
Tesla was led to the light

I said fellas, tell me something
how long does this limbo-thing last?
Einstein said ask Nostradamus
mine’s a relative theory at best 

Runnells, Iowa '11