The Ante-Room of Hell – Brent Hailpern

I am sitting in fear and trembling
In the ante-room of Hell,
Bewildered. How did I arrive at this fearful place?
What brought me, and, please tell,
What keeps me here?
What compulsion glues me to this chair?

I look fearfully about and see
An attempt has been made to provide
The appearance of normalcy.
Human-like semblances of office employees
Go through the motions of cataloguing and filing.

When will they appear in their actual forms
And quit the cat-and-mouse make- believe
That is almost worse than the grim reality?
I have been searching my memory
Trying to recall what sins could have been
The inducement to land me in this hot seat.

Surely the petty offenses I have perpetrated
Can’t be enough to force me to face damnation.
And, look! There are two small children
Playing near my chair. How could such innocence
Be liable to the awful judgement that portends
From the custodians of this abode of evil apparitions?

My brow begins to show the drops of fear-sweat that has collected
In harmony with the truth my entire body is experiencing
Ever since my arrival at the unfortunate place.

Oh, God! What have I done?
What can I do to overcome
this terrible decree?
Oh, no! See!
There is a demon looking straight at ME!
This is it! I’m a goner for sure! She
Craftily smiles, and knowingly announces:

“Mr. Hailpern, the dentist will see you now.”