Walking in the Light

Dear creature of divine creation, thou

Art not so wise as thou art wont to seem.

You say that I am goddess-like in grace

And beauty, but as I have learned thus far

No man or any oth’r created thing [5]

Could challenge our Creator’s divinity.

So far below the state of goddess fair

Am I that thine words fall upon deaf ears

And ring with falsehood worst, with ignorance best.

Direct your praise and worship from meek Eve [10]

Unto He who has Eve so fair designed.

So thankest I thee, serpent, for thy praise

But must in rightness redirect thy words

To God above, to whom all glory be

And praise and adoration rightly owed. [15]

If serpent has of Knowledge’s Tree indulged

And suffered no harsh fate, then know that thou

Art creature, far below mankind, and must

By diff’rent expectations live and act.

God has decreed: should man to tempter fall [20]

And eat the fruit of Knowledge, then will man

And woman suffer long the curse of death.

If thou hast been not curst, then it be clear

That serpent lives by different rules from man

And may indulge, though man may not. Indeed [25]

No creature save but man must see and tend

To Eden’s Garden, beautiful and lush

Though beast be lower on creation’s scale

Than man. It seems quite clear, in light of this

That different regulations do apply [30]

To man and beast, so though thou ate and lived

Man surely will not live, so sayest God.

Now of thy claim that this be nothing more

Than yet another trial, then listen well.

Not yet in my whole life, brief though it be [35]

Has God instructed so, and opp’site meant.

Our God and our Creator is all good

And neither with deception nor deceit

Hast treated Adam or his humble wife.

And best thee watch thy words, beloved beast [40]

Shouldst thou attribute trickery to God

And Deity offend, then I shall pray

That thou be not stricken down by He Who Is.

So thank thee for thy words and kind intent

For trying to improve my state of life [45]

But know, dear beast, and then be on thy way

That when thy words and thy suggestions do

God’s words and God’s commandments straight oppose

Then thou art wrong, and right away conform

The products of thy tongue to God’s intents. [50]

So fare thee well, fair serpent, but I must

With gracious heart but prudent mind intact

Decline thy invitation to indulge

In th’ forbidden fruit of Knowledge’s Tree.