POEM SHARE: What Happens After You Die?

What Happens After You Die?

Asks a moppet of perhaps eight years old, in a class

That was supposed to be religious but which soared

Much deeper than traditional caper and frippery.

I know what I am supposed to say, being the teacher,

I am supposed to use words like god and heaven and

Peace and light. But I find that I cannot just bloviate,

Not today, not this girl, not any wild holy frightened

Child, and we are all this kid al the time, are we not?

No one has the slightest idea, I say. Whatever you’re

Told in no uncertain terms is a whopping lie. But I’d

Suggest that we consider these interesting hints.

One: There was never a you before and there will never be

An exactly you ever again; you are a once-only offer.

Do you think such a prize would be allowed to easily

Expire? Think about it.

Two: no energy is lost, as we

Recall from our discussion of the miracle of What Is.

So the energy that is you can’t be lost after the vessel

In which you are currently poured is broken.  You are

More than the hall in which you are currently housed.

Think about it.

Three: all things have to morph forms.

That’s a basic rule from the Imagineer—but changing

Form doesn’t mean you are not you anymore. Look at

Yourselves just from last year to this year. Liam alone

Is four inches taller, so his form has changed, but he is

Still himself, is he not? Which is a mixed blessing, but

Let’s not get distracted. Just think about that. Also you

Might as well bet on the chance of miracles far beyond

Our understanding happening after we die.  Why not go

For it?  What do you have to lose? If there are miracles

Far beyond our understanding now, like mule deer and

Kestrels and sunfish and willows and every one of you,

Not to mention the miracle of such as me pretending to

Be your teacher, why could there not be miracles later?

Maybe miracles are thrilled that you are in a new form,

Couldn’t that be? Think about it.

Four: it might be that

After we die we all go to something like Hawaii, which

Would be awesome, wouldn’t it? Let’s think about that

For three whole minutes. Yes, you can sing if you want,

And then what say we let class out early today, singing?

Brian Doyle