A hiss echoed from its spiked tongue and you thought
That the snake had not lied to you in word and in thought?
Neither giving it to you nor to God as we thought
Your tell-tale teeth marks are in it too, along with my own!
Seeing our DNA together, the snake will guess that you thought
We’d be together in Eden or in jail and—no matter how much
We pay for it—happiness follows the ability to have thought.
But doubt is quite difficult and I liked it much better
When fate was determined and we need not have thought
About all of the options, the leaves of the trees, whether
To beat you or to love you. I wish I had thought
This before, dear Lady, I opened my mouth to your pleases
And caresses and most seductive scatterings of thought.
Created by using a last line from an older poem and then applying the Ghazal form. Featured on One Night Stanza's "Read this Now" on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012.
Copyright © 2012 S.L.Chast
Wonderful, Susan. This has a beautiful flow! I like your idea of beginning where you left off; also your change in perspective in each one. Very creative!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem. Thoughts, illusions that can keep us from peace...artificial barriers blocking us from the Divine. Darn that Adam and Eve! ;)
ReplyDelete~blessings
lol! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe snake and the apple and Eden...so much, it seems, is determined by fate. Strong writing, Susan.
ReplyDeleteno matter how much
ReplyDeleteWe pay for it—happiness follows the ability to have thought
true...but so does pain...because we have the right to choose
and no one else to blame for our decisions...
Cool idea to start one poem with where another left off......hmmmm....am contemplating the possibilities!
ReplyDeletethe last line is really strong, i like how you can sum up a feeling of the poem in it.
ReplyDeleteI adore the ghazal form and you have written a beauty here, Susan. I am thrilled to get the chance to read it today. I was especially struck by the central strophe - it's pivotal message, and sheer cleverness leave a lasting impression.
ReplyDeleteoh the temptations along the way - they come in many shapes - and often unexpected... and needs quite a bit of strength to turn away... ugh
ReplyDeleteAh.. I have always wondered why the snake didn't take it all for himself. Our life's road is not always easy...
ReplyDeleteI like the images used here specially spiked tongue and tell tale teeth marks....and the ancient tale and the new perspectives...
ReplyDeleteVery nice.
ReplyDeleteWhere would we be without temptation? ...and who is responsible? Has always been an interesting theme.
ZQ
So beautifully fashioned, Susan. Layered and textured. We are--though we tend to forget--all connected.
ReplyDeleteInteresting perspective on the Bible original. I think quite a few people would agree with Adam and also think that "doubt is quite difficult and I liked it much better / When fate was determined and we need not have thought". It is always easier to blame others.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful ghazal Susan. What happened was a momentous moment for mankind. It allowed for openings in human ingenuity without limits!
ReplyDeleteHank
I'm still not sure...what was first..thought or scream of happiness...~ the poem with perspective....I like it
ReplyDeleteThose last two lines perfectly recap the piece's emotional tenor.
ReplyDelete