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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
John Frederick Nims’ "More Theology" is a wry, two-line epigram that distills the biblical Fall into a succinct and humorous reflection. Playing on the well-known story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden, the poem frames their downfall as an act of hubris, reducing the grand theological implications to a matter of "getting too big for their britches." This phrase, a colloquialism for arrogance or overstepping one’s bounds, reframes the sin of disobedience in a distinctly human and comic light. The first line, "And why these fig leaves hiding Eden’s riches?", addresses the iconic imagery of Adam and Eve’s shame. The use of "Eden’s riches" suggests an ironic perspective: the paradise they were once free to enjoy now becomes something they feel compelled to cover. Fig leaves, biblically emblematic of newfound awareness and loss of innocence, here become a symbol of the absurdity of human self-consciousness. The question itself is rhetorical, implying that the poet already has a tongue-in-cheek answer. That answer comes swiftly in the second line: "Our parents got too big, see, for their britches." By referring to Adam and Eve as "our parents," Nims playfully emphasizes their role as the progenitors of humanity, making their error feel familial and immediate. The phrase "too big for their britches" adds an unmistakable folksy humor, stripping the gravity from original sin and replacing it with an image of overconfidence leading to an inevitable comeuppance. The casual "see," embedded in the middle of the line, enhances the conversational, almost dismissive tone, as if the lesson is so obvious that it hardly requires elaboration. This epigram exemplifies Nims’ wit and gift for compression, distilling a foundational theological narrative into a quip that invites both amusement and reflection. By translating the Fall into a lesson in humility rather than cosmic transgression, the poem undermines moral severity with levity. Yet, beneath the humor lies an implicit truth about human nature—our reach often exceeds our grasp, and with knowledge comes consequence, whether divine punishment or the simple embarrassment of realizing we’ve overstepped.
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