Heaven is a Jamboree

Heaven is a Jamboree
By Brennen Daniels

I take my seat the same
seat I’ve taken week
after week 

to hear the pastor man preach
week after week he opens the
good book to teach and I sit on
the edge of my seat, 

the same seat I’ve
taken week after week
to hear him read the
Good Lord’s prayer 

“On earth as it is in
heaven” 

I look around me at the same
faces and feet that have taken
the same seats (most them
asleep) week after week to
hear the pastor man preach
and I think, 

Good Lord! I sure hope
heaven ain’t like this! 

No I think heaven gonna be a jamboree I ain’t think
we even need no seats I think we gonna be jivin’ real
free shake’n and shimmy’n off the rusted chains of
slavery 

There won’t be no need for
ritual, 3 songs to clap off beat 

no we all gonna sing in 13 part
harmonies our praise will ring and
stretch out their reverberating hands to
the edges of eternity, 
compounding, till they grace the
never-ceasing We’ll juke n’ swing
to the flap of angels wings and the
four living creatures crying 

“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!!!!” 

but for now I’m jus’ sittin’ in my seat
the same seat I sit in week after week
listening to that old preacher man
preach 

“On earth as it is in
Heaven” 

---

Brennen Daniels
Poet

Photography by Corina Straub