I resign
The babe? Alas, my little one! Nay, mine
No more!" Weeping she ceased.
But after, bore
The child far northward; the exiled pair o'er
Many lands long seeking. Till from a crest
Of barren hills Lilith looked down. At rest,
The twain she saw, for it was eventide.
And low they spoke of hidden snares beside
Their unknown path, since unaware fared they
Into this hostile spot. The dim wolds lay
All bare beneath chill stars. And far away
Were belts of pine, and dingy ocean shore,
Like wrinkled lip. Cold was the land, and hoar
With wintry rime. Near by, its leafless boughs
A thorn bush bent, with withered berries red.
At sight thereof Adam, rejoicing, said,
"My Eve, bide here. From yonder friendly tree
The ripe fruit I will pluck and bring to thee."
"Oh, leave me not! This solitude I fear;
The land about is chill," she said, "and drear
It seems to me." But Adam answered, "Nay,
Sore famished art thou, and not far away
It is--nor long I stay."
So parted he.
Not long alone was Eve. Upstarted she
Dismayed. A woman, most exceeding fair,
Beside her stood, with coils of yellow hair,
And blue eyes, calm as sleep among the hills'
Dim lakes. Eve, frighted, shrank. As mountain rills,
Sweet fell the stranger's words. "My sister, one
Is here that glad salutes thee. And since done
Is now my quest, and here my journey ends,
I bring a goodly gift. For elsewhere wends
My pathway, Eve.
"Beside a coppice green,
Brighter than gold, purer than silver sheen,
In a fair garden, once a jewel shone.
With it, compared in all the world, no stone.
And low the Master set it shining clear
Against the hedge, saying, 'When she draws near
She will perceive on whom I do bestow
This moteless gem, that fellow doth not know.'
"Now I without the copse that day was hid.
Soft shone the jewel, as the moon amid
The blue. And in the garden I saw thee,
Where in the midst stood a fair wheaten tree
As emerald green. Its ears, as rubies red,
Fragrant as breath of musk, its odors spread.
And white its shining grains as rifted snow.
I looked again. And in thy fair hand, lo,
Full ripe bright gleamed the yellow wheaten grain.
Thou saidst, 'Though I did eat, I live. No pain