Ten-thousand ‘yeses’ and a single ‘no.’
From bough it dangles, beauty to the eyes,
For belly, food, a fruit to make one wise.
Too soon, they eat; they know; the leaves they sew,
But, oh! the Love who asks, “Where did you go?”
Confessions flow from under leaf’s disguise;
A garment made of skin, a creature dies;
Creation echoes groans from Eden’s woe.

But, one day, Seed of Eve will give his heel
To bear a bruise while bruising serpent’s head.
Though prophets preach, Eve’s Seed remains concealed
Till angel visits Virgin still unwed,
Who willingly replies to plan revealed,
“Lord, let it be to me as you have said.”

Marc Hays works as a Tennessee-licensed land surveyor. He is a graduate of the CiRCE Institute’s Teaching Apprenticeship and teaches online classes in classical rhetoric and Plato for the CiRCE Institute. He and his family are members of St. Mark Reformed church in Franklin, TN.