A mistranslation
A series of bizarre mistranslations and cultural misunderstandings
Have led us to imagine the Judeo-Christian heaven
As some sort of cloud realm or sunny kingdom in the sky
However, when we look back at both the Ancient Hebrew and Aramaic
We see that Heaven is actually the name of a lake
On the shores of which all souls will make their eternal home from the Book of Daniel
We can approximate that the divine lake will be the size of Zurich Lake, in Switzerland
Or Lake Charlevoix, in Northern Michigan
Coincidentally, both of these lakes were favorites of the American writer, Ernest Hemingway
The heavenly image of the lion lying down with the lamb is also misconstrued
Rather, the biblical prophets intended the image of white swans
And St. Bernard dogs swimming side by side in the lake, as a means to beat the summer heat
Little boys and girls jump naked from the old stone bridges to the cheers of onlookers
Who hang wreaths of hollyhock on the divers as they climb back up onto dry land
And at night, flashes of lightning in the pink, rainless sky
Above the soft lapping of the water, lights in the houses go out
As the souls say their goodnights
"Goodnight Brian, the dentist"
"Goodnight Alisha, my love!"
"Goodnight Mark Strand"
"Goodnight mother"
Goodnight Toni Morrison, who leads us in prayer, favorite daughter of Christ
Goodnight gardener one
Goodnight gardener two
Goodnight grandfather, snuffing out the light above the chess table
Hildegard has bested him again, for what must be the hundredth night in a row
In the moonlight, a single rowboat makes a slow circle around the lake
It is Burstner at the oars, restless even in death