Why hello Chris
so glad you could make it!
we trust your trip here was a pleasant one
although sometimes the ride over can be a bit bumpy
hope St. Peter didn’t rattle you too much

And not to worry
we’ve been taking good care of your 'petite amie'
she’s given Mia Farrow quite a run for her money
in the looks and intelligence department
as you can well imagine
while awaiting your arrival
they get along though simply divine
even starred together - as sisters no less!
in one of Shakespeare’s latest plays

And her poetry – absolutely marvelous
so rich in imagery
given us quite an earful
as to how much Earth has changed since we all left
understandably how so much more remains the same

Told us quite a bit about your own work too
the two of you make quite a pair
we’ve already had a sampling of course
you devil!
that rewrite of The Lord’s Prayer
caused quite a stir with the Old Man
Jesus and even the Holy Ghost
their laughter could be heard for weeks on end
haven’t left Colonel Sanders alone since

Here - sit yourself down at this sidewalk café
a glass of wine Monsieur after your long voyage?
there’s an endless supply of Merlot
the angels ferment at the snap of their fingers
we know will be much to your liking

Yes Heaven is a wonderful place
where else can one recreate 1920s Paris down to the finest detail?
so sorry you couldn’t make it here back on Earth
but as the saying goes “Good things come to those who will wait”

As you can see
off to the left is the Eiffel Tower
and in the distance – l’Arc de Triomphe
the Seine is the same down to every bend
minus pollution of course
and when you’ve had time to settle in
the palace at Versailles is a must visit

The paintings in the gallery beside us?
why are among Picasso’s latest
from a collection titled Modernist Afterlife
we’ll be joining him later
in fact at Gertrude Stein’s new apartment
just off le Champs-Élysées

And pay no attention to whatever rumors you might hear
of how he and Toulouse-Lautrec don’t get along
together they’ve just redecorated Le Moulin Rouge
with artwork from da Vinci to Warhol
a good spattering of Salvador Dali mixed in

Getrude’s writing has progressed swimmingly
and will no doubt want to recite some of her latest prose
it’s there you and your ‘pardner en poesie’ will be reunited
we’re hoping you’ll give us a reading of your joint colletion
King Of Wonder/Queen Of Light

A host of other notable poets will be present of course
T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound for starters
Jack Kerouac and the Beats
ever infamous but welcome for crashing our parties
and for your little friend
an eclectic assortment of ladies in tune with her pen
Emily Dickinson, Dorothy Parker
Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton
although the last two crossovers
she may find a bit racy for her tastes

And while you’re there
careful not to disturb F. Scott Fitzgerald
Zelda ever lovingly by his side
he’s presently rewriting the Great Gatsby with a happy ending
as well as This Side Of Paradise
with a more Heavenly tint

And if Ernest Hemingway seems a might boisterous
after one too many
over his latest novel The Old Man And The Infinite Sea
pay no attention
for to quote an expression back on Earth
with a slight revision
“His bark is eternally worse than his bite”

© 2003
Title revised © 2019

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04/10/2015

Author's Note: A recent poem by Ken Harnisch on the Lost Generation reminded me of my own contribution to the genre. Thanks Ken for the memory jolt, and again for your own great contribution. I'm sure Stein et al are smiling down at us from Heaven.

Posted on 04/10/2015
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti