My Heavenly View

Heavenly View

Hey, you're a Christian ain't you Paul?
“Yessir but I'm far from the best example”, I replied
“Okay. but what do you reckon heaven's like?"
“Well”, I said, “Here’s what I expect when I’ve died”

I try drawing a word picture
When someone asks how heaven will be
To share my vision and hope
Of what I'll one day see

Don't need no streets paved of gold
A two-track will do just fine
Won't be angels and harp music all day but
Guy Penrod and George Strait will surely shine

All my friends and loved ones
Once they've passed along
Shall gather to shuck and howdy
We'll sing the doxology strong

My precious wife of course
Is steady at my side
I'll spend all eternity
Privileged to serve my bride

There'll be a big ol’ rustic barn
With stalls for Honey's Alibi, Bluejeans and Gent
Horse partners that I loved
Oh how I've missed them since they went

They'll snort their g’mornin's to me
As I toss their breakfast feed
Each now back in their prime
Looking mighty good indeed

At my heels are the dogs I've loved
Tiger, Dusty, Missy, Mazie and Shadow
The friends I treasured in their loyalty
Each sniffin’ around 'neath a bright halo

Just out back of the barn
Sets my woodshop and favorite tools
It's where Jesus and I will make things
Sharing and laughing like a couple fools

About a hundred yards to the west
Stands our rustic ranch house I built
Surrounded with my bride's glory
A garden of flowers that'll never wilt

Grazin' along the south pasture
There are our prize-lookin’ longhorns
Beautiful, spotted, heritage cows
Proudly showin' off their newborns

My vintage Fordson tractor stands
In the equipment shed out back
Dad bought it cheap from a neighbor
Knowin’ he could fix the small head-crack

The nearest interstate's
More'n a hundred miles away
We'll occasionally hear two-lane traffic
When the wind blows the right way

The Missouri flows steady
A mile or so off to the west
The ancient waterway reminded me
On earth I was a transient guest

There's an ancient rugged tree
Above the grassy river banks
Where we often picnic and pray
Acknowledging blessings and thanks

It's the place I go to be alone
And where I yarn new rhymes
After thanking and worshiping God
For my eternity-in-heaven times

Your heaven will be materially different
God sure loves variety
Here's one thing you can count on
There won't be any anxiety

There won't be sadness or tears
There'll be no violence or fighting
I'll be singing old gospel worship songs
And doin’ lotsa’ Cowboy Poetry reciting

by Rik Goodell

© 2022. All rights reserved

I am grateful to David Graham once again, for his allowing me to post his beautiful western art alongside mine. If you do a search here on my website for "The Fencin' Crew" and "The Cowboy Way" or "Handles and Horse Thieves", among others, you'll see other paintings of his that have inspired my poetry.

To see a lot more of his work, go to his website: https://www.davidgrahamart.com/