One of the last things I did for myself before I received my cancer diagnosis was to buy a ticket to see Mountain Goats (Bleed Out tour) at the beautiful Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, TN. That photo up top there is my evidence. They didn’t play Maize Stalk Drinking Blood that night, but the set was amazing, John Darnielle had a joyful shit-eating grin plastered on his face the entire time, and so did I.
Lying in the hot sun today
Watching the clouds run away
Thought a little while about you
The sky was a petrifying blue
And while the geese flew past
For no reason at all
I let the sky fall
This is an empty country, and I am the king
And I should not be allowed to touch anything
I picked myself up off the ground
Shook the grass from my hair and I
Walked around
Felt the warm sun in my eye
Strangers were passing by
I shinnied up the black walnut tree
Let the hard blue sky fall right through me
And I saw the sad young cardinals trying to sing
And I should not be allowed to touch anything
Crabaghast! 