In the beginning we discovered the end

Though you were dusted up from the loose bones
of the earth, I was drawn from the splinters of you.
Myth begetting myth until we forgot ourselves
as trees do. Sway, sway beneath the canopy. We

have no word yet for loneliness, but fear not,
it will all come soon. In the naming of animals
you also named the empty fields, their errant
grasses so graceful not a single foot felt worthy

of stepping among them. The dance had begun
and you and I would stand so often watching
the hollow reed, like a naked spine, try to resist
the music of a morning wind. But sway it always

did. Along with the grasses and the full-feathered
trees. I always believed those trees wanted to be
birds, you only laughed when I told you, but look
at the way those tight limbs still manage to flap

like a falcon's wing. Tell me that everything, every
thing does not once wish it could be something
else. I will not believe you. Anymore than you
will believe I have been conversing with a snake.

Remember that vine? We saw it a sundown ago,
it was slithering around the old oak. It was flexing
its body like a spiny reed. It was pretending to be
moored and turning to stone. I went back at sun-up

and there as the light flared upon its back, it hissed
into a snake. It sought out my lonely scent fighting
a way through the tangle. It reminded me I was
the only woman for miles--or at all. And that within

the dull-pearl cage of my ribs there is a power
not unlike the moon. What is the symbol for hunger?
Ask the serpent, darling. I watched as the tree
swallowed the taut body of the snake-vine, though

it was the vine who meant to take the tree. The moon
within me sits, now, outside our window. It is a cold-torch
circling around the perimeter seeking exposure. Here,
lie with me in the dark-heart of our cornered bed. The moon

cannot reach us here, and the serpent is already dead.
Let the tendrils of your hair spread over the bare plains
of my body and we will grow together like fern and earth.
I will read to you until you fall asleep, Until the forsaken

skins of snakes no longer hold sway over evening or anything at all

Author's Note

2019

Reviews

[gram linski]

I love this poem Eilis, that yearning to be something else, amazing imagery of the trees wanting to be birds, the snake coiling and slithering through the poem,I really enjoyed the way everything flowed into each other distinct, yet blurred at the edges and myth begetting myth indeed, there is a love and tenderness here that shines through at the end, great poem

[Eilis]

The love and tenderness, I hope, can shine through the darker things. If so, then I can believe in hope and other good things. I have missed your comments, Gram. It makes me happy to read them again. The myth doesn’t seem as important to me now as it did when I wrote this but the climbing out of darkness and finding, in spite of the flawedness of being human, there is more than just loneliness—that is bigger and matters more. Thank you for reading and sharing what the poem meant to you. I always enjoy the way your mind turns things over.

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

i am no a christian, and even though i have met many people of this faith, the church never interested me. however, biblical stories, especially Genesis have always been a source of fascination for me. i really enjoyed this reinterpretation. as my english lit teacher taught us: "the awareness of our own death is what separate us from the animals." now, i dont know whether animals are aware of their own mortality or not, but this is definitely a burden that humans have to bear. that is the fruit of knowledge, and it was our downfall.
another thing i really liked here was the reimagining of Eve not as a dim-witted servant to her man, but as someone with knowing and even signs of callousness. i dont even consider this a feminist work, rather something much darker. She is nihilistic, tired, and pessimistic. but of course She is, after all, She is literally carrying the world on her shoulders.

[Eilis]

I’m so interested in your reading of this. That is my natural pessimism and nihilism coming through. My distrust. But Christianity is the foundation of my upbringing and so deeply entwined with my thought processes that the two states or ways of seeing live side by side. Perhaps keep me intellectually grounded. I am terrible at love poetry but I thought of this as a love poem when I wrote it five years ago. I see the callousness you speak of though now and the secret self she holds because she recognizes it is not safe to share. How interesting to see your own writing evolve in your mind. It’s a fascinating process and it helps me see how I am growing and changing still. Thanks for reading this and sharing what you saw. I always appreciate your readings, Ern.

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

now that im surprised by. i never thought of Eve loving Adam, it always looked to me like an arranged marriage. there is perhaps connection ' I was drawn from the splinters of you' that she came from his rib and she longs to be part of him again.

but even reading it a second time, there is something not quite normal about this Eve. "I will read to you until you fall asleep," is a loving act, but something a mother not a lover would do, and i cant help hearing a reluctance in her tone.

there is something uncanny about how she says "the serpent is already dead." it is as if she killed it, or is at least glad it died of other causes.

this is only my interpretation, i am someone drawn to darkness. but i want to repeat again how fascinating this text is. i hope you change nothing in it, every word is well-placed and the narrative has an ethereal quality that induces curiosity.

[Eilis]

Hey, Ern. I won’t be changing the poem at all, no. All you say reflects my natural cynicism and distrust. Love as a skewed state where people tend to hurt each other more than anything. It’s a reflection of my past and I really have enjoyed your analyses because you see past the illusory into the horror. There has been that duality in everything. Trying to find beauty through the dangle of horror all around. The beauty is a curtain guarding the true vision, I can see that better now. This was written before I understood what was going on in my mind. Before therapy. A form of therapy in itself. I appreciate you offering this viewpoint and details as I love to see things clearly and learn more about myself and everything else. You’re absolutely right about all you’ve said. Thanks again.

[Pryde Foltz]

This a superbly layered and constructed poem. Love, love, love the analogies and metaphor:)

[Eilis]

Thank you, Pryde!

[Lisasview]

Oh my, where do I begin???
Ah, right the beginning.
This is so very well written and makes the reader really think. I of one read and reread your words.
These words are amazing...I want to pick it apart and find the true meaning behind each word...each sentence.
it was the vine who meant to take the tree. The moon
within me sits, now, outside our window. It is a cold-torch
circling around the perimeter seeking exposure. Here,
lie with me in the dark-heart of our cornered bed.
I wish we could sit and talk about your poem over a glass of wine...now would not that be fantastic!!
Lisa, still in Spain...having a glass of red wine now

[Eilis]

Hi, Lisa. Thank you for your lovely response to the poem. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[Lisasview]

You are most welcome,
LIsa

[Matthew Daalling]

Wow, that was amazing. I love the idea of Eve alone in the garden. Mulling about, lonely, wondering if she exists alone as a woman. This was a beautiful peace. It is "Lacrimosa" at its best. Truly thank you for sharing. Wow.

[Eilis]

Thank you for reading and sharing your insight, Matthew. I appreciate your comment.

[red93]

Excellent Work indeed - full of resonant and provocative imagery and word-play.

[Eilis]

Thanks so much!

[slfisher89]

captivating read; the speaker has a commanding, grandiose tone. The scene paints a vivid alternative "In the beginning" and garden of eden

[Eilis]

I love your description of the poem and what you see. Thank you so much!

[Scott Kris]

I really enjoyed this. I felt like Adam and Eve were having a conversation.
And the description of your mood sitting outside of you in the scene was powerful.

Thank you for sharing this thought provoking and heartfelt poetry.

Scott.

[Eilis]

Thank you for reading and sharing your vision of the poem, Scott.

[Maxwell Ryder]

Oh man, I am a fan. And I’ve just read two. I will be following you…if you don’t mind. Cheers for this.

[Eilis]

Hi, Maxwell. Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed what you read.

[John]

A knock out poem, a wonderful retelling of the primal myth, credible because observation of this brave new word is so fresh and revealing. Drawn from the splinters, full feathered trees, there is so much to savour, the natural world edging towards surrealism with the ever present possibilities of one thing becoming another, form not yet becoming fixed, and language, as it is for the poet the inventor of the world, serving the simply purpose of naming.

[Eilis]

Hi, John. Thank you for such an insightful and complimentary comment. You have somewhat described my unconscious approach to poetry. Nothing is finished until it becomes itself. Even then it can become more if it chooses. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.