A Knock On The Door in  General   

They ask me if I've ever thought about the end of
the world, and I say, "Come in, come in, let me
give you some lunch, for God's sake." After a few
bites it's the afterlife they want to talk about.
"Ouch," I say, "did you see that grape leaf
skeletonizer?" Then they're talking about
redemption and the chosen few sitting right by
His side. "Doing what?" I ask. "Just sitting?" I
am surrounded by burned up zombies. "Let's
have some lemon chiffon pie I bought yesterday
at the 3 Dog Bakery." But they want to talk about
my soul. I'm getting drowsy and see butterflies
everywhere. "Would you gentlemen like to take a
nap, I know I would." They stand and back away
from me, out the door, walking toward my
neighbors, a black cloud over their heads and
they see nothing without end.

By James Tate

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Other poems by James Tate:

• A Knock On The Door
• Days of Pie and Coffee
• Dream On
• Goodtime Jesus
• Head of a White Woman Winking
• Like A Scarf
• Loyalty
• More Later, Less The Same
• My Felisberto
• My Great Great Etc. Uncle Patrick Henry
• Never Again The Same
• Non-Stop
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Shut Up And Eat Your Toad
• Success Comes To Cow Creek
• The Definition of Gardening
• The New Ergonomics
• The Wrong Way Home
• Thinking Ahead To Possible Options And A Worst-Cas