Eve, with her basket, was Deep in the bells and grass, Wading in bells and grass Up to her knees, Picking a dish of sweet Berries and plums to eat, Down in the bells and grass Under the trees. Mute as a mouse in a Corner the cobra lay, Curled round a bough of the Cinnamon tall. . . . Now to get even and Humble proud heaven and Now was the moment or Never at all. "Eva!" Each syllable Light as a flower fell, "Eva!" he whispered the Wondering maid, Soft as a bubble sung Out of a linnet's lung, Soft and most silverly "Eva!" he said. Picture that orchard sprite, Eve, with her body white, Supple and smooth to her Slim finger tips, Wondering, listening, Listening, wondering, Eve with a berry Half-way to her lips. Oh had our simple Eve Seen through the make-believe! Had she but known the Pretender he was! Out of the boughs he came, Whispering still her name, Tumbling in twenty rings Into the grass. Here was the strangest pair In the world anywhere, Eve in the bells and grass Kneeling, and he Telling his story low. . . . Singing birds saw them go Down the dark path to The Blasphemous Tree. Oh what a chatter when Titmouse and Jenny Wren Saw him successful and Taking his leave! How the birds rated him, How they all hated him! How they all pitied Poor motherless Eve! Picture her crying Outside in the lane, Eve, with no dish of sweet Berries and plums to eat, Haunting the gate of the Orchard in vain. . . . Picture the lewd delight Under the hill to-night -- "Eva!" the toast goes round, "Eva!" again. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHAMBER MUSIC: 9 by JAMES JOYCE OLD OSAWATOMIE by CARL SANDBURG ANOTHER GRACE FOR A CHILD by ROBERT HERRICK THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 54. LOVE'S FATALITY by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI JOLLY NOSE by WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 21. YAKBUZU WA YABSUTU by EDWIN ARNOLD THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE WALNUT-TREE OF BOARSTELL: ECLOGUE by WILLIAM BASSE |