It
was a hot July day in heaven,
and the sky was blue below.
All the citizens of paradise were attending
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
Last time they had witnessed a real surprise,
when the architect of Petra had won instead
of the favorite,
the Egyptian sculptor Toothmose,
for his bust of Nefertiti's head.
Chaucer was there for the Canterbury Tales
with the creator of Sydney's Opera House
King Lear was a contender,
as was Bleak House,
and the man who designed the computer,
Matt Mouse.
Aristotle got there late,
he had trouble parking,
and sat down between Lowry and Philip Larkin.
Picasso spoke to Rubens Sophocles with his mum,
but Dr. Viagra sadly couldn't come.
A hush fell,
and God announced the two finalists,
the Death of the Virgin by Caravaggio,
and the Statue of David by Michelangelo.
There was the expected uproar and the odd supportive cheer,
Jean Genet walked out pale,
shaken,
and feeling a little queer.
Rachmaninoff hissed to Beethoven,
the judges must be deaf or dead,
and Beethoven was heard to reply,
what was that you said?
Several felt they should have chosen Eero's Gateway Arch,
and the stuffed shirts favored the man who'd invented starch,
the Scots champion TV and John Laugie beard,
whilst others whispered softly,
thank God we were spared.
The Orientals considered Hockeyside's Great Wave very good,
but Van Gogh felt a chair was the better use of wood.
The Statue of David won,
of course,
by a mile,
though da Vinci felt he deserved it for that smile.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.
When Caravaggio met Michelangelo at
the Celestial Millennium Talent Show.