Thursday, October 27, 2011

Beer and the Afterlife

My friend, Bob Erskine, is a cartoonist and painter.  A creative genius really.  I asked him to inspire me with a blog topic.

He suggested I. P. A.

That would be India Pale Ale.

     "You mentioned it last year in your yoga blog.  Also, I see all of these empty IPA boxes in your livingroom."

Oh, those boxes?  The ones holding firewood.  Surely Bob doesn't think I drank all that beer.  Hasn't he heard of going to the liquor store just to ask for the empty boxes?

Ok.  I like beer.  My current favorite is Triple Hop Belgian Style India Pale Ale.  Sierra Nevada's Torpedo is very good, as is Flying Dog's Raging Bitch .  (this refers to a dog of course)  Both of these beers are To Die For on tap, but so far I've managed to hold the line against installing one in the refrigerator.  

Which brings me to the topic of Beer and the Afterlife.

Many of us grew up singing, 

     In heaven there is no beer.
     That's why we drink it here.
     And when we're gone from here.
     Well our friends will be drinking all the beer.

I realize now that is children's superstition, and put my faith in the likes of the early Irish Saint Brigid, who espouses a mature spirituality in her poem, The Heavenly Banquet.

     I would like to have the men of Heaven in my own house;
     with vats of good cheer laid out for them.
     I would like to have the three Marys, their fame is so great,
     I would like people from every corner of Heaven.
    
     I would like them to be cheerful in their drinking;
     I would like to have Jesus sitting here among them.
     I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings.
     I would like to be watching Heaven's family
     Drinking it through all eternity.

3 comments:

  1. I had to chuckle several times as I read this post, Diane. My teetotaling mama would be so offended, but I love this image.

    Cheers!

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  2. you should have said, boxes? What boxes??
    Deny everything!

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  3. I'm certain with all the Irish Catholics around, there must be beer in heaven. Otherwise it wouldn't be heaven.

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