(x = space)

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Genesism

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We were thrown out:

Don’t blame Eve,

I don’t;

The serpent could have

Just as easily

Caught Adam first

And both fall

After choosing to take bites

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And if you believe

The woman had such power,

Go ahead—I

Wouldn’t stop you

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Did they see the angel,

Looking back?

The orange or the yellow

Of a blade on fire?

Feel the heat?

Did they know for sure

They must go another way,

Not to return

For ages?

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Well, they were given

Clothing,

They were given curses

Also callings,

They knew what they’d have to do

To live;

And so with their descendants,

So with us,

The myth goes on

For hunters and for music;

We build a tower

To do better than the curses

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The tower falls;

We cannot speak to each other,

Anymore

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So we build in separation;

Cities rise

And as must follow

Empire:

Strong people rule somehow

And we let their children rule

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Was it worship

Or respect

Or indifference?

We had our farms to tend;

Soon there would be machines

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We raised walls

To keep ourselves upon the plains,

Set outposts in the mountains,

Surrounded waterways,

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And with food

And bright blades

Secured the promises

Of generations

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Nation went to war

Against nations;

Many gods were worshipped,

Some directed

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We have stone

And paper manuscripts

And ruins upon ruins

That are testimonies

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And are we rising?

We hope so;

There are awful, lateral movements

And descensions—call

Them massacres,

Call slavery,

Call rule by one

With only one served,

One living well

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Democracy is rising;

Call it something else;

We keep at it

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How about

Soon we grow

Without anything but growth?

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After-Eden flaws remain;

Maybe we’ll understand at last

Divinities approving

Of mortality,

Mortal accountancy

In meeting needs,

Accountability,

Repentance,

And renewal

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Rockets go toward the moon,

Soon with people

Who will stay awhile

While we aim for Mars,

Send rockets to the rest;

We hope the Voyagers

Will find friends

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We’re not perfect,

We’re not even better

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If we keep our flaws,

And we own mortality

Then we’ll do all right

For legacy:

The joy in now

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C L Couch

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Water, Light, and Long Shutter Speeds

Photo by Ahmad Dirini on Unsplash

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