Eve listened to her heart and sinned,
Then passed out of paradise
Into paradise, clothed in wind,
Her mind unclouded as her eyes.
She found her husband hiding
Behind trees — he found her blinding.
They found each other in their arms
And recited a litany of charms.
They knew this world was not broken
And stood awaiting the awoken
Moment of their forgiveness.
Distant laughter beckoned them on.
As they walked beneath the midday sun,
The wind billowed her white silk dress.
The woods that spring were misty and the birds
Rarely came near, though we walked many miles.
We saw few wildflowers, many mushrooms —
More than ever, nature seemed absurd.
Foxes trotted with us, bereft of wiles.
Leafless red maples were upside down brooms.
We found hundreds of deer in the forest,
Dozing, dreaming, at rest in makeshift nests.
None awoke as we passed. We petted them.
They sighed as if grateful for our kind touch,
Though, as we thought of it, it wasn’t much,
Akin to repeating, “Amen. Amen.”
The day was not, in a common word, “Nice.”
We were, like every day, in Paradise.
