https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1v7hXEQhsQ

The sinner stood at the gates of heaven.

They stayed shut despite his constant rattling.

He pressed the buzzer,

No reply

He called, he yelled, he threatened

Today there was no entry.

He was not a patient waiter.

He knew he was a sinful man

Bent a lot of rules

The Ten Commandments he seriously challenged.

Underneath he knew he was fundamentally good

Surely he thought compassion, mercy even

Would get him across the heavenly threshold.

He stamped his foot, pursed his lips

Thought a thousand stories,

Each more convincing than the last

Providing his worthiness.

After three days he saw a heavenly entity.

St Peter himself shuffled along the path

Grumbling, complaining of his corns

Carrying a mighty book.

Opening upon the sinners life

He began the inventory of his life.

It went for three days

A period of revelation, grumbling

And raised eyebrows.

By the end the sinner was standing ashamedly

Head bowed in resignation

He turned towards the downward path

By the saint asked him one question

‘Was the inventory all true?’

With eyes lowered the sinner acknowledged his misdeeds.

The holy Saint stared at him,

His old eyes burning into his humbled soul.

He closed the book with a resounding clap

Opened the gates and beckoned to the sinner.

‘Come join us,’ he said

‘You admitted your wrong,

Most people argue extenuating circumstances

Flood my tired ears with feeble excuses.

Admission gets you in the door

You’ve been waiting a long time.’

The sinner not believing his luck entered heaven

St Peter looked him in the eye,

Said he was lucky, but forgiveness is eternal

‘Just keep your nose clean

Your hands out of the heavenly till.

This place is full of repentant sinners.’

Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/music-prompt-42-rattle-that-lock-by-david-gilmour/