My pal and I sprawled out, face up, the heavens analyzing
Soft sandwiched ‘tween the un-mowed green and blue
The impish clouds performed their acrobatics, mesmerizing
We pointed, “It’s a horse!” or, “That’s a shoe!”

When ended that, up sat my friend and asked, “Will heaven be boring?”
Tried keeping calm, but couldn’t, not one bit
My inner eyes had pierced the skies to realms of light outpouring
Therefrom, the unseen rays my face up lit

“Will heaven be boring?” he stated again
Elated, I grinned, “Well yes, that is, if..

Deep-sea diving; Everest-climbing
Planet-soaring; star-exploring
“Einstein-Rosen wormhole”-finding, etc….

Are a bore!”

“Not bland or monotonous?” he cautiously blustered
Smiling, I mustered, “No way! Unless…

“Michelin”-dining; “Grand vin”-wining
Story-sharing; laughing; caring
Friendship-making, gift-exchanging, etc….

Are monotonous!”

“Won’t it be passively static?” he asked
Ecstatic, I laughed, then cried, “O no, if…

Kingdom-building; brick road-gilding

Thanking, praising, Love-embracing

For the hellbound, interceding, etc.…

Are not passive!”

“We’ll never feel badly or lonely, I reckon!”
“Heck no!” I said gladly, “with umpteen new friends, like…
Eve and Adam, garden-tending
Noah, bird and boa-nesting
Sarah, heavenly hostess-training
Jacob, coaching angel-wrestling
Paul and Peter, guiding, teaching
Forbears, Saints and angel fleets
Loved ones saved by grace-outreaching

She whose prayer the snare defeats
Mother, Queen; with care she’ll mind us

Last to mention (but not least)
The One, Who’ll, from our tears, unblind us…”

“You see, my friend? All loneliness and pain unseen– O Glory Be!-

Will be…

… deceased!”

We started hiking; neither heard the striking Parson’s bell
Well lost in thought of celestial locales
Is Larson’s humdrum heaven just as silly as Larson’s hell? (1)
Heav’ns Yes! We’d glimpsed a Glory plain unboring

We’d felt a good despair that earthbound hopes could quell that pain
That ache which points toward a higher story
We’ll claim that tale in tandem since unclouded hope is gained
By boldly looking heavenward…
…As pals

***

(1) Gary Larson, The Far Side comic