Alice
O. Howell
The Poles of Eden
Do not let me mock you, dear
do not let me hope
do not let me gather
a mother and a father
nor ask them why
after the release of gold
after the silver of their peace
after the sadness and the sleep
they gave up, turned inward
each to each his leaden dream
and left you weeping in their deep
crying
screaming
shuddering
for comfort and for love to keep.
Godself has a great pair of pincers
half a woman
half a man
and where they close, where one and One
in pulsing pinch of promise
life begins and love began.
Oh, constant Adam, taste your apple
roll your tongue about those pips
and kiss sweet knowing Eve
upon her musing lips
sons and pentacles and steer
her womb will render
and chattel is what those sons
will hold most dear-
spliced and sliced out of spit and soil, and split
One into desperate two
you seek through sweat and shame
and serpent dream, and do-
and you, poor Eve, aborted all that pain
that Self might gain in Abel and in Cain
and Adam called you keening
back to rest - you were his soul
his hope, your breast
and Seth he rendered second
unto death.
Tell me, son, still young
and brown, and marked, and hairy
do you range the desert?
are you lonely?
do you range
where stone and spirit
make exchange?
if you quest and thirst and rave
for answer, seek the mountain
seek the fountain
in that initiating cave -
there you'll find a tomb will mouth
your prick of conscience
and swallow continents and questions
the pestilence of thinking
deeds and fears
you'll pass through such a death of seed to peace
where one in beauty bends to save
to lead you up bright steps
by night-webbed gossamer
to what you crave
and at that inner height
you'll find from apple's pride and root
from knowledge and apple tomb absolved
grown
now luminous, now numinous
your flowering Tree of Light
your sanctifying Fruit of Life -
Godself holds a branch of annulating fire
and flails his grain
with time and with desire
and when all and ever
will be spent
retted and rent
He'll gather from the chaff and ash, the spark
and spin it starwards up
to spiral out to shimmer in the dark
then rest and smile
know and be charmed by love
filled and fulfilled
for this
ah, yes
is Wisdom.
This is what She meant.
a.o.howell