[veritas]

The Portals to Heaven

where: “the City of GOD” aka the slums of Rio De Jeniro
when: February 14th, 1977

Time is a funny thing, it gives us youth to parade about our ignorance,
and allows us to examine the crossroads between damnation and deliverance:

António Silva Abreu chased his prey through the crowded market place,
Sun shining, reflecting the perfecting, of projecting the fear on his target’s face
Antonio was the leader of a gang, comprised of twenty four souls in a fleet
Evil personified, Antonio came to collect his tribute, not knowing his prey had prepared deceit
His prey snatched the yay, and shot Antonio center mass, before making a get away to the street
Antonio’s fury clotted the blood, solidified the wound, black sorcery personified as he sprund to his feet
The predator grew closer to this prey as his prey was ascending steps toward the sun
Antonio aimed his pistol and fired, and time stopped, this amplified the raport of the gun
Antonio had been careless, his rage had blinded him, for there sat a different man bleeding on the seventh step
Antionio inched near him and the man said “Pai perdoa-lhe, porque ele não sabe o que faz”......Antonio wept.

Where: “The City of GOD”
When: February 14th, 1978

Time is a funny thing, as it has a tendency to simplify the complex and humble the wise,
It shows us the errors of our ways, and paints the way to salvation, if one can keep open their eyes

Antonio had been converted, instant metanoa, his tears the baptism of his demise
Antonio began to paint the steps into where he imagined the man’s soul now resides
For this he became a famous painter, the brush master, the art pastor, the mural messiah
World reknown, Heaven’s portal was found, the World’s droves rushed to admire
Antonio’s fame had grown, his ego began to whisper again, spinning delusions of grandeur
The steps had been his penance, his repentance, his winning the pollution of slander
Reporter’s asked him what had inspired him to paint such beauty amidst the madness
He replied: “Eu estou perto de deus” as this was the metaphor behind the ocean wave’s crashes
Antonio began his new life of reknown, of celebrity, and went on to paint many more murals
Forgetting it is easy for the world to prop a man up and make him forget to rest upon his laurels.

Where: The City of GOD
When: February 14th 2013

Time is a funny thing, it can make us forget who we were, and the motivations that move us
It can rust away the chains of the soul, or rush to entwine, so that in time we lose us....

Antonio’s arthritic bones grinded and chafed, as he strode amongst the throngs at marketplace
To the steps entitled “Heaven’s portal” where he gained fame from forgotten disgrace
A smile came to his face, as he saw the usual crowds gathered with cameras in hand
He was recognized, the crowds erupted, even at this age, Antonio could always find a fan
He didnt see the man pull out the pistol and fire with his eyes filled in boiling rage
Center mass. The crowds parted like the red sea, and Antonio laid withering splayed
On the same steps that brought him life so long ago, as the sun became shadow, he saw his foe
The man said coldly: “para o meu pai” then cocked the revolver, fired, and invited death to show.
The portals to heaven were painted over with blood, which itself paints the morals I bring:
Those who show others the most heaven get the most hell, and time is a funny thing.