An Incident Poem by Daniel Brick
An Incident
At the gates of paradise
the caretaker
put down his flaming sword.
The flames scorched the grass
before the moist red soil
snuffed them out.
The caretaker was weary
of guarding the gates
of a place no one knew of.
He lay down
next to his smoldering sword
and closed his eyes.
Soon the perfect sleep
of paradise enveloped him
like a sweet aroma swirling
around a giant apple tree.
As he slept,
creatures abandoned
in the garden drew closer, gazed
through the narrow opening
into a decaying world.
Birds poised in the air
fiercely beating their wings.
Lions yawned and stretched
next to bleating sheep.
Tigers prowled along the hedges.
A monkey cackled to his tribe
who answered in a scrabble of shrieks.
The caretaker heard their panic
in his sleep. Wearily, he rose,
grabbed the heavy sword again,
and held it across the gates.
Sunbeams ignited its hidden fire.
Slowly, the creatures withdrew,
back into the forest,
back into their perfect paradise.
In so far as the 'bite of the apple' confers knowledge of good and evil, animals still live in the Garden! It is within them, that is, the innocence that humanity lost, animals still possess. In my poem, I simplify this scenario by having animals still living in Eden. The Bible tells us God placed angelic guards on duty so that humans could not get back into paradise. Is my caretaker keeping humans out or animals in? ! I do not answer that question... Readers can decide for themselves. One thing is certain, however: the animals do NOT want to leave paradise when they have the opportunity; they apparently do not even want to know about the 'decaying world' outside the gates. And that shows a paradox implicit in my poem: If our First Parents had not been expelled from Eden, wouldn't we, their decendents, choose ignorance and shelter and refuse to leave paradise?
However, isn't that 'decaying world' - the World of Nature - our proper home as
human beings, and not a paradise world? Readers can decide for themselves! (Write your own Paradise poem to explore this issue.)
Beautifully written Daniel I love the idea of the animals in their innocence being guarded inside paradise by the flaming sword of the caretaker looking out on a decaying world.Very thought provoking
This is interesting, for a minute there I wondered if you were being sarcastic and describing the zoo as a paradise/prison. But no I like the idea of animals still being in Eden. It makes complete sense, because they still haven't lost their innocence. That in itself is a curious topic. I've always believed that animals have souls and personalities just like us. Yet, they don't sin like we do. So, maybe you're right and they're still in Eden, being guarded or just not wanting to leave. What this also brings to mind though is cows being raised for commercial slaughter. There have been people who've tried to rescue them but they don't try to leave. They don't understand that they can leave, because the fence isn't around them, its inside their heads. Which is truly a sad thing. Anyhow thank you for this thought provoking piece! ~Nika
Very interesting... I greatly enjoyed the theme! And your notes were very thought-provoking! Thanks!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/18/2024 5:11:49 PM # 1.0.0.1119
It is a place not worthy to mankind today; nor has it been since it was sealed. Portraying animals as in shock at what had been done outside, in fear even, was a nice touch. It brings home the comparison of how things were, and should have remained, with mankind nurturing it; and how we have failed past miserably and straight to ultimately. Beautiful Daniel