Crocodile Heaven 6

by Robert Austin

Crocodile Heaven, if you don’t know,
Is also where all orphans go,
Where due to divine stratagem,
The crocodiles take care of ‘em.

I guess it’s ‘cause they suffered so,
In the world of man below,
That Providence lets them know love,
In the land of crocs above.

There's sunny meadows made to please,
But also lots of shady trees;
If you climb one on a whim,
You’ll find a peach on every limb.

There’s flowery fields for frolickin',
And clear blue ponds for jumpin' in;
No worries if some kid can’t swim,
A crocodile will rescue him.

Up here each orphan has a home,
With crocodile parents of their own,
So if they’re having a bad day,
A crocodile hug makes it okay.

But Heaven ain’t just games and fun,
And days spent lazing in the sun:
The orphans here all go to school,
Where they start with the Golden Rule,

Then move on to geometry,
Physics, French and poetry;
Music, art, and fractions, too,
And why the sky is really blue.

When they're in school each orphan smiles,
Because they're taught by crocodiles,
Who patiently help them to see
The key to life’s great mystery:

That to fulfill Creation’s plan,
God needs the help of every man,
To show the world what each is worth,
And build a paradise on Earth.

And when they know the world is good,
They graduate to angelhood.

This is one of my favorite Crocodile Heaven poems. I think this one would make a nice picture book, but I lack the skill to illustrate it myself and the funds to pay a real artist to do it. So for now it's just here.