The engineer and the mate

 I have posted not to show who is great or not...just for the poem......

Oil soaked shoes all covered with grime;
Polished shoes with a brilliant shine,

Sweated clothes all stained with grease;
Shirt and tie and pants well creased,

Oily scarred and calloused hands
Manicured fingers, looking grand.

Thus they approached the pearly gates,
The Engineer and the Mate.

Saint Peter gazed at this strange sight;
He knew one was wrong, the other was right,

To be sure, he then did look
In his gigantic secret judgment book

Then looking up he said so clear
I'll now pass judgment on the Engineer.

You've sweated blood, you breathed some gas
The scars and bruises and burns still last.

So come my son and take your place
Like a king, in all his grace.

My son you've stood it very well -
You've surely had your share of hell.

The Engineer passed through the gates;
Saint Peter then turned unto the Mate.

You've filled your lungs with cool clean air;
You've known the breezes and the sun up there,

Pushing a pencil, you've traveled in class;
You've been a passenger before the mast.

There isn't a question, yes or no -
Now it's your turn to go below!!

  unknown author....edited by me....