I saw the thing and I thought it wept.
Oh, there were no tears;
Things have no tears.
They cannot weep.
But, you see,
I remember how God had made it.
Such a lovely stream;
clean and cool
and singing through a living land
like the throbbing, mobile thing it was.
And I wept for it.
To see the filth and scum
sliding,
bumping,
brushing the rocks
like some obscene lover;
Leaving a gift of rancid fragrance
to mingle with the empty offerings
of my brothers.
Where are the leaping trout?
Where are the laughing Eve
and wondering Adam?
There. Behind that tree.
See, he’s throwing another Pepsi Can
into the stream.
And she sprays Glade on the roses.
Is that the voice of God I hear?
“Adam, where are you?
I’m waiting to fellowship with you!”
But Adam has run for his city;
pulling his Coupe de Ville around him.
And Eve hides her nakedness
with Revlon, Max Factor
and Gucci prints.
And the stream flows on
with no one to watch it die
but God;
Who stands weeping on the bank,
waiting for His children.
c.2011 Donna Swanson
very beautiful.
I grow up with a stream behind my house, a pond not far away in front of my house, I used to watch my father fishing in the river, love the view, especially in summer, when frogs jump around lily pads and all views are pure green…
stunning imagery..
Happy Poetry Picnic.
🙂
Beautifully presented. Just how Man/women had fared since. They act rough against the environment, against everything, including themselves.
wow! woot! whoa! Not only a lost Eden but Adam and Eve as well! I bow down to your talent 🙂
This one completely captured me. A very original take on the subject of revisiting Eden. I loved the way modern references, all seamlessly worked in.