Heaven

 

 

 (Picture Credit - Thomas Cole: Garden of Eden - Games blog)

 

According to the Bible there is

“Heaven”

A high place where all good people go

When their Life’s innings is over.

But Bad folk go down to “Hell” –

To suffer “bottomless perdition”.

 

Yet we only have to look up

At the morning or evening sky

To see Planet Hell:

It’s the brightest “star” of all:

Venus!

 

And I believe

That out there amongst that ocean of stars

There is a so called “Exoplanet”

In a distant solar system

Like ours

Perhaps twice as big as Earth:

A sub-tropical world

With ice only at the very poles

And on lofty mountain tops.

 

I see a place of endless forest

Filled with butterflies

And songbirds.

Grassy plains too,

Roamed by alien buffalo.

Oceans teeming with fish

And dolphins

And colourful corals.

 

A world untroubled

By killing

Or pollution.

Dotted with tiny villages

Only

With peaceful inhabitants

Basking in afternoon suns.

 

I picture a utopian paradise

Shangri-la

Or what you will.

Another Eden,

Or if you prefer

Simply

Heaven.

 

Paul Butters

 

© PB 28\12\2020.

 

Another one for Norman Stevens.

Outer Space Discovery

 

Out of blackest space

The starship “Discovery” emerges from the abyss

To orbit around a beautiful blue world

Just like Earth.

Its captain decides to land

And the view gets better as it descends.

 

Continents and oceans are plain to see,

But so much more:

Futuristic cities –

Great civilisations –

The crew cannot wait for that moment

Of First Contact.

 

And so it happens:

The captain and his officers

Stand at last before an emissary

Of a planet light years away from Earth.

 

Before them is an alien

Humanoid indeed

Though with Leaves of all things

Decorating its head.

It’s neither male or female

As far as they can tell

And has a long tail

With of all things

A plant pot at the end.

Yes, a tail stuck in a plant pot!

 

The alien swishes its tail to bring

The plant pot into its leafy hands.

 

“Welcome to our world,” smiles the Alien,

“It is called Earth just like yours.

Just like countless other Earths

Around the Cosmos.

And yes

I am what you would call a ‘Plant’.

For most worlds of our universe did not

Evolve carnivores like you.

If I want a proper feed

I find some soil beds

And search for food with

My tap root.

 

But worry not,

You are what you are.

You cannot help the hand that Evolution

Has given you

No more than any of us can change

Whatever our ancestors did in historical times.

We welcome you in Peace and Love,

At least in the hope

That you don’t Eat Us.”

 

The captain and his crew hang their heads

In shame

Until the captain replies:

“Thank you for your welcome.

We too come in peace.

And rest assured

Our intentions are good:

Whatever happens

We will not eat you.”

 

“Good” says the alien, with a nod,

“That’s just as well,

For we have giant bees here,

And you wouldn’t want

To make them angry with you.

But come,

It’s time for you to see

Our enormous butterflies.”

 

And with that,

First Contact

Was concluded

And a new relationship

Began.

 

Paul Butters

 

© PB 27\12\2020.

Christmas 2020

 

(Pic Credit - Merry Chritmas Images dot info)

 

Thank Goodness Santa was exempted

From Covid Travel Rules,

So he could go and deliver

All those presents and shimmering jewels.

My great nephew and niece all smiles:

Look at their happy faces.

Santa did all those miles

And got to so, so many places.

 

He even brought me mine

Disguised as mail delivery.

Giving his reindeers time

To rest, for a while,

In their Lapland livery.

 

Top of the Pops at noon.

It was on so very soon.

Some nice tunes and jingles

Like a box full of Pringles.

 

Not quite Rock and Roll,

But still a hint of Soul.

Meaningful lyrics

And some atmospherics.

 

The Queen gave us Hope

With her speech at three.

No time to mope

Here in the land of the Free.

 

Trust you all enjoyed this festive day some way.

And let us all pray

That things get better

From New Year’s Day.

 

It’s time to conquer Covid:

About time I hear you shout.

It’s DNA decoded,

Vaccinations all about.

 

So twenty-twenty-one

Is coming very soon.

When this year is all done,

Let’s fly up to the moon.

 

Let’s fill the world with Love,

Holding hands again.

Goodbye to twenty-twenty,

Goodbye to all the pain.

 

Paul Butters

 

© PB 25\12\2020.

 

(Last two lines changed at the suggestion of Norman Stevens 27\12)

 

 

(Original final two lines were:

“It’s not a matter of whether,

Only a matter of when.” ).