OF THE APPLE
The apples in the garden bed
Turned ripe and rosy to the South;
The youngest novice shook her head,
And eyed them with a watering mouth.
Turned ripe and rosy to the South;
The youngest novice shook her head,
And eyed them with a watering mouth.
She said: "Our Mother Eve wrought woe
Once with the deadly apple's bite:
God keeps mine eyes from following so
After my evil appetite."
Once with the deadly apple's bite:
God keeps mine eyes from following so
After my evil appetite."
Down came the saint, and gathered then
Of all the ripest, sweetest one,
Clear amber-cheeked, with ruddy stain,
From the hot kisses of the sun.
Of all the ripest, sweetest one,
Clear amber-cheeked, with ruddy stain,
From the hot kisses of the sun.
She ate, and praised God as she ate,
That He made apples very good.
"He might," she said, "have given the date,
The fig, the orange, for our food;
That He made apples very good.
"He might," she said, "have given the date,
The fig, the orange, for our food;
"Nor yet made apples, to delight
The eye, the smell, the palate fine:
For these my grateful appetite
Praises the Giver kind, divine.
The eye, the smell, the palate fine:
For these my grateful appetite
Praises the Giver kind, divine.
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