The devil in paradise

Eyes close as my body goes limp,
My lungs take in their last gulp of air,
The dark tunnel appears around me,
I shrug my shoulders and walk into the light...

I know where I am headed,
Flashes of fire and screams of pain,
The agony of torture, retribution for my sins,
The crushing of bones, the boiling rain...

But t'was not to be my place,
Instead I was taken to the pearly gates,
Angels and harps and golden strands of sun,
I could not believe that I was forgiven...

Walked in with a sly smile on my face,
I hoodwinked Him, Him who knows all,
From the jaws of hell, I had turned my fate,
A sinner like me, from heaven a call...

I looked at Him, my lips a sneer,
Fooled you old man, my conscience a'int clear,
He looked at me with a knowing smile,
Uncertain for the first time, I averted my gaze...

Heaven was as heaven should,
The land of dreams, the land of good,
The garden green, the sturdy house,
The sober sailor, the faithful spouse

The honest man, the loyal friend,
Flowers in eternal bloom, everlasting rainbows,
The day without night, The high without a low,
The soul without envy, patience which has no end...

I wandered among the sacrificing and the great,
The virtuous politician, the pious priest,
Love without afflictions, one without hate,
I felt so out of place...

Soon I start to jump the lines,
With the angel I start to flirt,
She slaps me not, she flings no dirt,
Always patient,Always perfect,
Miserable in this place so divine...

At last I know, at last I see,
Heaven is no place for a mortal like me,
Set in my habits, I err in my ways,
I see the path, but the human in me strays...

Retribution is not always what you assume,
Penance for your sins may be life with the good,
Not the screams of the insane, not the blood and fumes,
But in virtue which all else consumes,
Man will suffer, no matter how strong,
In a place where, try as he might,
He can do no wrong...