THANKS JESS!!!

[uleftyourself]

Is this not the best poem?
Its called "Heaven" by Richard Lehnert

What if you could know

you're better than someone else?

Not better in one small way -

a better lover, listener, cooker of pasta,

writer of poems - but entirely,

absolutely better?

What if you had to choose life

for one of you, for the other, death?

And what if, after long, careful,

anguished thought -- because,

after all, you're the better person

you make the right choice?

And what if, later, when you die,

there really is heaven and God

and perfection isn't boring

but endlessly interesting, satisfying,

a challenge you only just meet -

like life, but the rules work?

And what if one day -- it's raining or bright

perfect either way -- God takes you aside

and you sit down with a favorite drink,

hot or cold depending on the weather,

in your throat its ideal mate of thirst,

and God smiles, lays on your hand

a huge scarred paw, says

That day you choose the better person?

Well, you were wrong. But stay

as long as you want --

we like having you here.

And patting your hand

God rises, eyes already gone

in that galactic reach,

looking for the next fool who,

between heaven and hell,

expected a difference.