The Expulsion [by Katha Pollitt]

Adam was happy -- now he had someone to blame
for everything: shipwrecks, Troy,
the gray face in the mirror.

Eve was happy -- now he would always need her.
She walked on boldly, swaying her beautiful hips.

The serpent admired his emerald coat, 
the Angel burst into flamea
(he'd never approved of them, and he was right).

Even God was secretly pleased: Let
History begin!

The dog had no regrets, trotting by Adam's side
self-importantly, glad to be rid

of the lion, the toad, the basilisk, the white-footed mouse,
who were also happy and forgot their names immediately.

Only the Tree of Knowledge stood forlorn,
its small hard bitter crab apples

glinting high up, in a twilight of black leaves.
How pleasant it had been, how unexpected

to have been, however briefly,
the center of attention.

                        -- by Katha Pollitt
                            from The Mind-Body Problem (Random House, 2009)

Comments

[DL]

Excellent poem. I remember when it appeared in "The New Yorker" a few months after 9/11/01. To think that everything began in that one moment: weather, dress, even history. That is why I reread Genesis once a year.

[Jennifer Michael Hecht]

Yeah, great poem Katha, really rocks.

[jim cummins]

I think this is the first time I've seen it, and I love it. Forgive me, Lord, but I love Eve's swaying beautiful hips. (Not in a bad way, of course, but a good way.)

[joanna baymiller]

I had this poem on my refrigerator from the time I tore it out of The New Yorker until it disintegrated. from being taken town and retaped again and again. .. I adore it. it's. wise, witty, sad, ironic, and brilliant too..