96. Two Roads

Last night I had the strangest dream,
It took my breath away.
I woke up with a silent scream
And saw ‘twas the bright day.

All I’d dreamed was still in my mind,
And I could not forget
The visions of a horrid kind
At night born in my head.

I’d dreamed that I was all alone,
Before me was a road
That stretched, ranged and wound further on,
But there wasn’t any goad

That could drive me to take it — no! —
Nor I had longing for.
But ne’ertheless I had to go
Until two signs I saw.

The road there forked, and those signs said
Where I could get at last.
I felt the fire inside my head,
I had to decide fast.

My watch showed that it was midnight,
Though all was seen by eyes.
“Hell,” told one sign — point to the right;
The other, “Paradise.”

“What should I choose? I cannot tell
If I’ve been good or bad.
Am I for paradise or hell?
By whom can that be said?

To no one I’ve ever been good,
So hell’s what I deserve.
Take the right road I think I should.”
The question was thus solved.

After some time I saw a gate,
All ‘round was ominous gloom.
To change my mind was still not late,
But I did now my doom.

And then I saw that all around
Had been changed in a trice.
I could not utter any sound,
I didn’t believe my eyes.

Instead of hell’s gate I could see
The paradisal gate.
“Saint Peter, Eden’s not for me,”
I cried, “it’s not my fate.”

His answer was, “It’s you chose it,
Though you don’t comprehend.
Whatever by the road is writ
‘Twill have another end.

Those who o’erestimate themselves
Do often have bad hearts.
They seek for paradise, but hell’s
Gate always is their lot.

But those who think they’ve done no good
And long for th’ Underworld,
Be in Elysium they should,
For their hearts are not cold.”

So spoke Saint Peter, and then I
Woke up, not having known
If all he said is always right,
If something there is wrong.

Two roads are hard to choose between,
But our choice must be wise.
I know it, for there I have been
And seen all with my eyes.

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