Two young brothers lay side by side,
pondering the meaning of life;
There was Believer so full of joy
and Doubter who focused on strife.
Believer could hear the voice of God,
it filled his thoughts with wonder;
Doubter would say, “That wasn’t God,
all that you heard was thunder.”

Doubter was content, or so he thought,
he was sure there was nothing more,
But Believer just knew there was more after life
and allowed all his thoughts to soar.
“You’re foolish to believe there’s anything more”,
pessimistic Doubter would say,
But the faith of Believer, so pure and so strong,
not even Doubter could sway.

Doubter would say that when his time comes,
he’ll resist with kicking and screaming;
But its such a bright and splendid abode,
the one of which Believer’s been dreaming.
Remember, though life is important,
that we’re only here for a season
And when we each meet our Maker,
then we’ll understand the reason.

Their time had grown short, was the one thing
both brothers had come to agree,
A future both bleak and foreboding,
was all that poor Doubter could see.
While Believer, with anticipation,
would leave his domain without sorrow
Doubter who thought it the end,
had no splendid dreams of tomorrow.

When the time for Believer had come,
he went through a tunnel towards light
And there in wonder and awe,
met a being all dressed up in white.
But Doubter, with much trepidation,
had watched his brother pass on,
And he knew that his life too was over,
any hopes of a future were gone.

While out in the world filled with marvelous light,
beautiful beings were gathered around
Believer was seeing most wonderful sights
and hearing such wonderful sound.
And then he was laid to his mother’s warm breast,
with such tender love and care,
The doctor was saying “There’s no time to rest,
another one she has to bear”.

“One more to be born but he’s fighting so,
he’s pulled right out of my reach,”
The doctor then said, to the ones in the room,
“It looks like he’s gonna be breech!”
So if you believe like Doubter,
that when you are dead you are dead,
You might give a thought to Believer
and ponder what’s lying ahead.

By R. Wayne Edwards, December 1998 wayne@familypoet.com