Lake Eden

Predawn paradise - leave camp
with coffee to fog banked lake;
dangle legs under live oak,
wait 'til sunrise burns off cloud.
Misty rib-branch droops to lake,
dim contour, something's not right;
clarity swirls - copperhead
rests immobile at my feet!

Name her Eve; she slithers away,
swims through fog, disappears;
pull back legs then she returns,
ghostly weaving, floats to branch.
Remain still, hope she'll stay, but
Eve's off again into haze;
birds cry out to sun: "arise!"
Snake comes back, treks out again.

There are dire penalties to spy
on maidens in ablutions;
head waves as undulating
side strokes course along her spine;
reveals need that sends her out
swimming watery Eden:
protruding from her mouth she holds
the twitching tail of a minnow.

Eve claims her seat, raises head;
in fang filled throat her breakfast
like forbidden apple, slides down
to thickened body, and is gone.
Stand to go, Eve slips the tree,
leaves only ripples spreading
true word: in the garden of good,
evil has purpose and beauty.