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| From The Forbidden Tree |
| Fatima
V. Lim |
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| After
EDSA |
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How lovely it must have been
The tree set distinctly apart
From the others.
The peaches, dates, and nectarines
Must have paled
In their bland perfection.
Not even the singing, shimmering
Birds darting from branch
To luminous branch could distract her
As much as the sinister rustling
Of the ferruginous leaves
And the upright snake
Speaking sweetly
With its forked tongue.
Perhaps she was just bored.
Bored with the man
Of the missing rib
Who was beginning to repeat
Himself, having run out of names
For the rest of the world.
Perhaps she felt
A shared companionship
With the snake
Who had only sought
A true and absolute wisdom.
It is not too clear now.
All she can recall
Is the first bite:
How her mouth filled
With meaningless tears
And split blood.
Roughly she was awakened
By the snake's crazed dancing
On its hideous feet
And by her mate's calling forth
Of her name, over and over
From a distance.
The marred fruit
Rolls away from her fingers.
She tries to shield
With her less
Than adequate hands
The tremulous expanse
Of her nakedness.
--1988 |
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