Destination Heaven

Destination Heaven
[In June 2001] my wife and I were about to enter a restaurant for lunch when our daughter contacted us on the mobile telephone. She would be taking a part in a programme that evening and asked if I could provide a short snippet for her to present as an ice-breaker for the programme. The theme was ‘outer space’, reflecting on our readiness for heaven. Because my wife and I were away from home, my library was inaccessible. So I penned the following free verse fragment in the restaurant while waiting for our meal to be served. It is an announcement supposedly heard over an airport public address system:

“Your attention please, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Welcome to Eternity Intergalactic Airport.
Please check in today for Destination Heaven.
Your tickets need to be in order before you board the flight.
And passports, visas and papers must be checked and all right.
Leave luggage & baggage at the boarding gate to Heaven- you won’t need it there.
And your passport of faith has been stamped with your fate (when you chose to accept the free airfare).
For your ticket is paid for by the Pilot’s own Son.
And He sent you His Holy Steward to help you to come.
So Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please.
You all can be ready by the Company’s Grace.
So pack up your worries, invite your friends and take your ease.
The ticket is paid and we’ve reserved you a place.
All flights are in standby mode; you must be ready at all times.
And as we only offer one destination, passengers not ready must travel by another airline.”

-- Lionel Hartley, FreEzineMagazine, Issue Vol 2 # 6  June 2001