hands says my Sunday School teacher, we all
have to, she says, but we shouldn’t kill our
-selves or be reckless so I asked her why
life matters so much–it just gets taken
away and God’s in charge of everything
so however I die isn’t it His
fault, and for my questions I got sent out
into the hall, it’s lonely here but still
quiet and one day I’ll die and my soul
will soar to Heaven but solely to be judged.
I can imagine Heaven with this kind
of hallway leading to the throne of God
and there He’ll sit and when it’s my time check
the Book of Life for me. He’ll have to squint.
Gale Acuff has had poetry published in Ascent, Reed, Poet Lore, Chiron Review, Cardiff Review, Poem, Adirondack Review, Florida Review, Slant, Nebo, Arkansas Review, South Dakota Review, Roanoke Review and many other journals in a dozen countries. He has authored three books of poetry: Buffalo Nickel, The Weight of the World, and The Story of My Lives. Gale has taught university English courses in the US, China, and Palestine.