The garden meeting adjourned and moved... Management abruptly cleared the premises, Canceled return visits, Speculations inconveniently disrupted, Wonder-rousings interrupted... We found ourselves somehow Standing on the Great Outside.
No wistful entreatments heard He, The Grand Proprietor, In spite of our new knowledges, Our now-wise forays philosophical, Our sophisticated posturing; He seemed without empathy In His Garden's sudden closure, In our ejection and dismissal.
Stumblers of unexpected freedom, Following a shadowed river Narrowing down into a Valley, Darkening down into a pinprick end, We gaze behind, ahead, behind, To see, high sword gleaming, The standing doorman, glowering.
Eden, receding from our view, Serpent joins us as we walk, "Where were we when we left our talk?" His lowered voice renews. We notice now, the air is chill As an endless sun slips down Behind a darkening hill.