Finally,
standing at the pearly gates–
well, actually more like brushed nickel–
I see God approaching from the other side,
carrying a branding iron.

"Next,"
says Peter,
not even looking up from his iPad spreadsheet.

I'm next,
but I look around;
maybe I should let the lady behind me go first–
chivalry, you know.

But she's seen the branding iron, too–
and it's glowing red.
She shakes her head.
"No, no way!" she whispers.
"You're next."
She nudges me forward.

A branding iron? Really?

God laughs heartily
when approaching the gate,
grinning at me:
"Who loves ya', brother?
Do you want to eat or what?"

God knows the answer.
I know the answer.
I know whose I am.

Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.