Eve in Eden

Into Eden

From the pure celestial presence to a garden of the earth,
Came a woman filled with promise
To a land which knew not birth.
Into Eden came this woman who was pure and sweet and fair.
All of nature thrilled at seeing such a being moving there.
Through dark clouds obscuring memory,
Through dense fogs bedimming past,
Came this vision with a mission. Dice of life in her were cast.
On this woman life depended,
For her wisdom angels prayed,
Juxtaposed were two commandments.
Which of them would be obeyed?

Paradise was eastern Eden, a pristine, primaeval place.
Life’s abundance dwelt within it.
No one there had seen Death’s face.
In earth’s purity all nature in sweet innocence arrayed,
Breathed the fragrant breath of beauty,
Left no room to be afraid.
In that garden opposition sent no shafts into the wind.
Constancy and endless sameness left no shame,
For no one sinned.

Foreordained to be a mother, gifted with maternal love,
Eve, a pure, yet mortal being,
Longed for knowledge from above.
To becalm her constant yearnings,
To address her nameless woe,
She must somehow find the secret
To progression here below.
Somehow she must gain that glory
Which the Gods had realized
Of progression that was endless
In that land beyond the skies.

Then there came to her a serpent,
A bewitching subtle beast,
In whom clearly the Creator
Had defined one of the least.
In that snake was opposition,
Well disguised so as to hide
Any hint the Lord of Darkness
Sallied forth to be her guide.

Cunningly he lead her forward
Till they reached that fateful tree
Where the seeds of good and evil
Brought forth fruit abundantly.
One small word she’d heard, "forbidden"
Made her cast a wary eye
On the snake who bade her fear not
Give that tempting fruit a try.

"Knowledge lies there deeply hidden,
Knowledge is a gift of God.
All your doubtings," said the tempter,
"With great ignorance are flawed.
You won’t die," he told her slyly,
"But shall grow to be more wise."
Then he watched her start to waver
As he spun his cunning lies.

When he saw her will was weakened,
When he sensed her need for light
Made her willing to take chances,
He persuaded her to bite.
In the instant that she took it,
Her sweet innocence recoiled,
For the fallen Son of Morning
In that serpent’s skin was coiled!