Author: Luisa Perkins
•6:00 AM
The Guardian of Paradise, Franz von Stuck (1863-1928)

The Expulsion

Adam was happy--now he had someone to blame
for everything--shipwrecks, Troy,
the gray face in the mirror.

Eve was happy: now he would always need her.
She walked on boldly, swaying her beautiful hips.

The serpent admired his emerald coat,
the Angel burst into flames
(he'd never approved of them, and he was right).

Even God was secretly pleased: Let
History Begin!

The dog had no regrets, trotting by Adam's side
self-importantly, glad to be rid

of the lion, the toad, the basilisk, the white-footed mouse,
who were also happy and forgot their names immediately.

Only the Tree of Knowledge stood forlorn,
its small hard bitter crab apples

glinting high up, in a twilight of black leaves:
how pleasant it had been, how unexpected

to have been, however briefly,
the center of attention.

--Katha Pollitt, b. 1949
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5 comments:

On 1/12/08 , Jen said...

Oh... I love this poem. How true on so many levels.

 
On 1/12/08 , SydneyMin said...

Very nice. Thanks for sharing and making my brain actually think of something besides work!

 
On 1/12/08 , Heidi said...

Wow! That's about all I can think of to say--compared to Katha, anything else would just sound like so much noise in the wind. (except for that--that was actually pretty good).

 
On 2/12/08 , Goofball said...

what an intriguing view on the expulsion. wow!

 
On 6/12/08 , Julie Wright said...

I love that poem! Thank you for sharing it here!