In the Beginnings

I.

As a gardener in God's garden

                I tramped paths

                and sprinkled ways with sand

along luxuriant meadows and shady treetops with richest foliage.


But none of them led

                to the site

                where a lonely tree

                was standing on a hill,

far from pastures of spotted does,

                guarded by their horny husbands

                from glances of curious monkeys.


All happiest habitants of the garden

                pass that spot

                in a distance.


Me too and same my

                dear bride:

The Heavenly Father commanded me

                to carry my gardener’s duty with honour,

                but to avoid that tree and hurry it by

without touching

                its fascinating fruits.


Knowledge of good and evil those fruits had to offer.


But what was it for me,

                for me,

                who knew the secret

                of the heavenly delight?


Sweat of enjoyable efforts

                was dripping from my temples

                when after a long day

I leaned with joy

                to Eva’s knees

                and listened to her calling fragrance

and pulsing run of blood in her elastic veins.


II.

We would continue to dwell like this,

                without time,

                in harmony

                with nature

                and ourselves,

being guided through happy days,

                filled with easy tasks,

                talking with each other about the meaning of eternal life

                in the language

                that could be understood

                by any

leaving creature in the Eden,


if we weren’t

                under another surveillance,

                not by God,

                not under a lovingly,

but under the evil one.


Ones, when I came back after my ritual

                of the daily round in the garden,

                I couldn’t find my beloved

                under the mulberry tree’s shade,

from where we

                used to

                watch the sunset

                and appearance of stars in the evening sky


(that marvel

                was given us by The Holy,

                I would admire it

                forever!).

And only in the virgin grass,

                that was sparkling with the evening dew

                under the lowering Sun

                like carats

                of precious diamonds,

I did notice a dark trail.


Alarmed

                and with a worried premonition

                I rushed there fast

                forgetting

                my Father’s order

not to cross forbidden borders


and then I saw –

                Eva was coming toward me

                and a flame of an unknown passion was glowing

                in her eyes.


I felt how my soul was

                fluttering

                trying to reach Eva.


Not able to overcome her attraction

                I spread my arms

                and embraced her shoulders

                without moving

                my eyes

from her face expression

                and inhaling

                her breath’s fresh aroma

                that was filled with a scent unknown to me,

                drawing me

like a living water.


So here we were

                standing and looking at each other

                as if we were learning to know each other anew.


III.

"Let us go at last," - said Eva, -

                "I prepared a bed for us

                out of

                soft ferns

and dry moss, and for a headpiece I gathered some grass

                so that

                our sleep be fragrant and delight tonight,

                my love.

I doubt

                that it will be ever a sunset

                like it was this time.


How pity

                that we didn’t watch it together."


We went together

                in the falling darkness,

                but though I tried to guess

                where

                we

                were going

all my attempts were in vain,

                only Eve knew the way

                or

                she was guided by the unknown force.


"So her we are," - she said. - "I have a fruit

                for you

                for a supper,

                my love."

We laid together on the bedding,

                that took us with a softness in its

                aromatic embrace.

It was

                so delightful and languidly

                to be by her side.

And stars began to shine

                in the skies.


IV.

I was happy then,

                in the beginnings,

                when I didn’t know

                what the earthly sadness means.


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Русская версия:
http://www.stihi.ru/2016/10/17/1942