Forbidden Fruit Poem by gershon hepner

They wondered why the fruit had been forbidden,
and ate it though they clearly had been warned;
the danger surely never had been hidden,
but early warnings they had blithely scorned.

Expelled, who knew that innocence was lost,
replaced by guile that we associate
with men who’re civilized? All pay the cost
of fruit they ate on that most fateful date.

They didn’t weep or quarrel, but both planned
to come back, hoping that they’d be forgiven,
inventing rituals that few can understand,
which they believed, like flowers that you send
to those you’ve hurt, would help them to be shriven,
though ritual rites won’t help a wrong to mend.

7/16/05