Heaven is the generally understood term for a transcendent place
inhabited by God, metaphysical beings, and the souls of the departed. Heaven is often
considered a higher place, a holy place, a paradise set in juxtaposition to its
opposite, which is hell. Religions hold various views on what heaven is and how
souls enter it; some consider heaven a spiritual “place,” and some claim that there
are several heavens. Many faith systems suggest that heaven is a condition of
spiritual aliveness and closeness to God.
Heaven may be the physical heavens that we see in the sky (sun,
moon, stars) or a place where those who have led good lives go after death. Heaven may be a metaphorical term used
to symbolize any kind of perfection. The concept of heaven is one that defies
scientific proof, and whether one believes in any “standard” or “other” definition of
heaven or not is a very personal thing.
For this prompt, I’d like you to
write about your concept of heaven (either as an afterlife, as a spiritual
“place,” as another plane of existence, or as a metaphor). You may take a serious
approach or you may choose to be funny.
Things to Think about before Writing:
What does heaven mean to you?
What images does the word conjure
up?
Is there a “heaven on earth” for
you?
How would you describe heaven?
Who would you like to meet in
heaven?
Who’s the most “heavenly” person you know?
Is there a “heaven on earth” that you’ve visited or would like
to visit?
What’s the opposite of heaven for you?
Be sure to read the example poems to get an idea of where
other poets have gone with the concept of “heaven.”
Examples:
A 'heavenly" post, Adele! (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.)
ReplyDeleteGood one, Jamie! Smiles to you!
DeleteLovely, Adele! A wonderful concept to ponder.
ReplyDeleteMáire Ó Cathail (Ireland)
Thanks, Maire! We're inching toward St. Patrick's Day and looking forward to spring!
DeleteIt's a challenge to conceptualize heaven, but we all have some sense of what it means to us. Great idea to work that into a poem!
ReplyDeletefull pantry of food
ReplyDeleteabundant toilet paper
above and below
I'm laughing out loud! Heaven, indeed! (And so succinctly put.)
DeleteOh, so funny! What a great spin!
Deletejoyful songbirds come
ReplyDeletewelcoming you through the gates
no more pain no more
A lovely vision of what might be!
DeleteWhen I Pass Over
ReplyDeleteWhen I die
of course
I hope I won't go to Hell
While I'm alive
I pray to get out of the Hell I am in
Mostly
I hope I won't have to
spend eternity
with people
I can't stand
here on earth
published in International Library of Poetry, and poetry.com
A universal hope! Thanks for sharing, Risa!
DeleteFunny and profound at the same time! Thanks, Risa!
DeleteThis is a prompt that seems, at first blush, easy, but it invites interesting thought and deep reflection.
ReplyDeleteI used it in the classroom, and my students' responses were really amazing.
Thanks, Adele!
Rich
Thanks, Jamie, Adele and all others who read and commented!
ReplyDeleteRisa