THE priest, in thoughtless daily use, Delivered the fairy tale of Eve: I felt what made good Greeks believe That Bacchos came from a thigh of Zeus, Thanked my complete omnivolent God Who made the serpent with suave power In that ungoverned knowing hour Creators see He must have trod. I thanked the God for all the joy Ordained for me by Eve's best sin: Except for God she might have been Stainless and ever a garden-toy. In her the Mother sinned for us, Bringing us evil and more good; Growth and a soul from this ensued. 'Twas soul's first instinct so to choose. The preacher read a parable About a sower sowing seed, Yea, and about each separate deed It did to places where it fell. Some fell upon the stony ground And swiftly bred abundantly: This seemed most beautiful to me, To make such barrenness abound, Yet most I praised the stony soil That did so rare and great a thing, Spending its power to serve its King, Unmasked by man's officious toil. Arable man, removing stones, Might well educe tame hundredfolds, But not that ardent burst of golds, That proud tired yielding to the sun's. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ROBERT FROST RELATES THE DEATH OF THE TIRED MAN by LOUIS UNTERMEYER THE LOVELINESS OF LOVE by GEORGE DARLEY GRANDMOTHER'S STORY OF BUNKER HILL BATTLE by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES FLORAL DECORATIONS FOR BANANAS by WALLACE STEVENS |