Pomegranate
with a twist of Genesis
I've never been tempted
to try you
I can see you have been
visited by the snake
I knew this as a child
long before I knew you
were the forbidden fruit
Compared to blood plums
and golden mangoes
YOU are not a temptation
Poor Eve
What can you expect from a companion
created on the cheap from a cast off rib?
Adam, whining like a spoilt brat for a companion
should have been left to his own devices
with all his ribs remaining intact.
Adam in time would have
taken a bite out of the
pomegranate and earned all the ensuing blame
God in his mercy would then create Eve out of rose petals
jasmine and lemon grass to make things right for the world
That is why sins are known as the sins of Adam
not as the sins of Eve
I can see you have been
ReplyDeletevisited by the snake
Wonderful touch! Nice midrash on Genesis, too, where the merciful God would have created Eve out of fragrant stuff, not a rib, providing a savior in the first generation, but for...
I had forgotten about the Persians' idea of the forbidden fruit being the pomegranate. Of course Anglos are hung up on the apple, the French on the pear...
I really enjoyed this poem, rallentanda!
Hi Rall,
ReplyDeleteWhat's all this, trying to shift the blame?! And have you really never tried one? No-one could blame Adam if he had been tempted.
No I haven't.I don't want to.I don't know why.
ReplyDeleteDon't know blood plums, but mangoes!
ReplyDeleteIn a sort of scientific spirit, I decided to try a pom. The tartness is what saves it from being seedy kool-ade.
I like your take on Adam. Can you imagine god parading all his creations before the bored boy?
Wouldn't you like an elk as your companion? How about an emu? But no. It has to be more like himself.
God thinking: this is going to be interesting.
Must say I never thought of the elk as a companion.No one would want the emu.My point is if you're going to create something out of a rib it seems unreasonable to expect an optimum performance.
ReplyDeleteThe poem was wonderful, but what I really liked was the MESSAGE! Eve being made of rose petals, jasmine and lemongrass...beautiful. (PS remember, Genesis was written by a man, and you really cannot believe everything they say!)
ReplyDeleteRallentanda,
ReplyDeleteThis is a most interesting version of an ancient story and I really do like your perspective. I'm sure those rose petals and jasmine are hidden in me somewhere don't you think? Maybe I've just been wacked in my sleep from too many pumpkins! Oh, to have a world that's right! Pomegranates are best left on the branch, with the branch manager.
Thank you for sharing this enjoyable twist. =D
Great take on the side-myth that the "apple" in the garden was really a pomegranate, also an effective rebuttal of both "origin" myths humans/seasons with their insinuation that women are [more] prone to temptation.
ReplyDeleteHave you at least tried the juice? It has become more and more popular in the stores lately. I have a pomegranate on my desk, used for this writing... oh, to pass it through the screen....
ReplyDeletenicely done Rall....my oldest daughter was the opposite...she remembered something I told her about his FORBIDDEN fruit...so over the years it has and still her favorite...now her daughter cant go by the fruit stand without pommys...thanks for sharing again
ReplyDeleteNot hidden at all lovely Linda!
ReplyDeleteI agree Cynthia...it all seems very misogynist
...to be take with a grain of salt so to speak!
This is the first time I've seen the expression "created on the cheap". I enjoyed the humor strewn throughout these lines, Rall.
ReplyDeleteSome of us still believe in the myth. :^)
That's OK Jerry..I still believe in Mother Goose and the tooth fairy!
ReplyDeleteA nice rewriting of the Eden myth.
ReplyDelete*clapping hands vigorously!*
ReplyDeleteI think the world would have fared much better with your alternate take on the creation myth. I'm also with you on there being other more savory fruits :).
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the pomegranate as the interdicted fruit more than I can imagine the apple.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this I am thinking that God made " Eve out of rose petals/
jasmine and lemon grass to make things right for the world".He only had to use the rib so Adam had the feeling that he is also contributing. This is why we are equally salvation & damnation.
The twist of Genesis took this right out of the garden. A delightful read with just the right amount of humor. A fine read.
ReplyDeleteThankyou to everyone for your comments.Next week's poem should be a real hoot!I hope you are all going to write something in the spirit of the prompt.I'm laughing already!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have never been tempted to try one, either. I love how you went from the pomegranate to Genesis...the picture is very suggestive of just that. And hooray for you for sticking up for Eve!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your poem and the re-creation of Eve. Nicely done.
ReplyDelete-Roberta
I'm late to this, but like it very much and agree with the comments of the other poets.
ReplyDeleteWell done!
I really like the progression of thought in this, especially your take on Adam. Nicely done!
ReplyDelete