THE curse of Adam, the old curse of all, Though I inherit in this feverish life Of worldly toil, vain wishes, and hard strife, And fruitless thought, in Care's eternal thrall, Yet more sweet honey than of bitter gall I taste, through thee, my Eva, my sweet wife. Then what was Man's lost Paradise! -- how rife Of bliss, since love is with him in his fall! Such as our own pure passion still might frame, Of this fair earth, and its delightful bow'rs, If no fell sorrow, like the serpent, came To trail its venom o'er the sweetest flow'rs; -- But oh! as many and such tears are ours, As only should be shed for guilt and shame! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HYMN OF THE EARTH by WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING (1817-1901) ON MONSIEUR'S DEPARTURE by ELIZABETH I SHE HEARS THE STORM by THOMAS HARDY LOVE SONG by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS ADAM'S CURSE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS A LOVE-MESSAGE by LILLIAN CORBETT BARNES |