heaven n’ hell

by

outcome or course of events….

a persistent

young
strip mall preacher
from down
the street
had imposed
himself
on aunt bea
while she was
having
her
afternoon tea
most folks
in the neighborhood
know
that’s
her sacred time
when she
ponders the wonders
of
just still being alive
it’s a time
that i never visit
unless invited
so
the conversation
i’m about
to convey
to you
was
well
overheard
by
a concerned
neighbor
it was reported
that
after
an hour-long
verbal onslaught
about
heaven and hell
aunt bea
calmly
asked
now according
to
your text
god
is all-knowing
yes ma’am
and
according
to
your text
when we die
and
go to heaven
we don’t recall
our earthly life
yes ma’am
that’s the true gospel
well child
aunt bea
said
if god’s all-knowing
and
we don’t recall
what we did when
we were on earth
why
do we have to go
through all this hell on earth
seems to me
the whole thing
was
rigged
from the get-go
so
being rewarded
or
punished
for
something
you can’t recollect
is
just plain silly
or
cruel
now
the only thing
reported after
those
comments
were
some quick shuffling steps
away
from
aunt bea’s
porch

 

by

no outside force…

eyes
opened
in
grave
no
scenes
of
heaven
or
hell
just
a padded box
a closed
and
isolated system
so
the law
of
conservation
of
energy
govern
this
awaking
no one
to
roll away
the stone
so
the system
remains
closed
there’ll be
no
discussion
of
heaven
or
hell
for
the iphone battery
is
dead

by

best not to open that gate…

copyright cwmartin 2011

as kids
we were always
afraid of the old man
living in the corner house
the wood siding
on that place
was as dry
and gray
as he was
with just as many furrows
in its skin
the old man
had
one eye
frosted
with somthing white
while the other blue one
went its own way
when he stared
but no one was sure
what he was looking at
since no one
was sure
which eye was
looking where
all i knew
was
aunt bee said
that old man
knows things
he’s done seen
heaven n’ hell
saw his brother hanging
from an indiana tree
and watched
as his parents
buried a son
who fought for freedom
yes
that old man
knows things
when the police
drive by his home
they always look
the other way
some say
he saw them
take sister maybel
into the swamp
and come out alone
yes
that old man
knows things
i’ve noticed
him rocking and crying
on his front porch
wearing black
just before someone dies
yes
i do believe
that old man
knows things
most days
he walks around
with a cane
like he’s going
to part the red sea
and now and then
he raises it
as if controlling
all of nature
i tell you
that old man
knows things
things
you
know
but are
afraid
to see