Philippine literature , From the forbidden tree by Fatima Lim

From the forbidden Tree

by Fatima Lim

Fatima V. Lim (1961) OCW

Lim completed her doctoral degree in Creating Writting from the University of Denver. Her collections of poetry. "Wandering Roots" and "From The Hothouse,"both published in 1991 received recognition at the Colorado Book Author's Awards.
How lovely it must have been
The tree set distinctly apart
From the others.
The peaches, dates, and nectarines
Must have paled
In their bland perfection.
Next even the singing, shimmering
Birds darting from branch
To luminous branch could distract her
As much as the sinister rustling
Of the ferruginous leaves
And the upright snake
Speaking sweetly
With its forked toungue,
Perhaps she was just bored,
Bored with the man
Of the missing rib
Who was beginning to repeat
Himself, having run out names
For the rest of the world.
Perhaps she felt
A shared companionship
With the snake
Who was only sought
A true and absolute wisdom.
It is not too clear now.
All she can recall.
Is the first bite;
How her mouth filled
With meaningless tears
And spilt blood.

Roughly, she is awakened
By the snake's crazed dancing
On its hideous feet
And by her mate's calling forth
Of her name, over and over
From a distance.
The marred fruit
Rolls away from her fingers.
She tries to shield
With her less
Than adequate hands
The tremulous expanse
Of her nakedness.