Heaven and hell | 5 March 2015

In Competition No. 2887 you were invited to describe your idea of heaven or hell in verse. Nietzsche famously said that in Heaven ‘all the interesting people are missing’ and most of you seemed to agree that paradise might not be all it’s cracked up to be. There’s just space to commiserate with Peter Goulding and John-Paul Marney, who narrowly missed out. The winners take £25; Philip Roe nabs £30.

When the heavenly choir eternal sings a glorious Amen
It’s a certain indication they’re about to start again;
For the singing never ceases in celestial realms above;
And the theme is the imperative for unremitting love.
The classical cantatas are performed by seraphim,
But every hour we blessèd souls all stand up for a hymn.
And a frequent choice for us to sing is hymn 471,
Which Cardinal Newman wrote on earth before his life was done.
This wily Catholic convert always turned a pretty phrase:
‘In all his words most wonderful, most sure in all his ways.