the Garden had one, it is said  
to tempt the blissfully naked  

on April’s eve,
one slithered across  
the road, where I had paused to sip
from my canteen, a cool elixir
flowing more slowly down my throat  
when the serpent stopped  
in glistening mid squirm, to tempt me
to follow him

but I did not,  
seeing no tree from which to purloin  
a forbidden delight, knowing full well  
he had others yet to beguile,
and I needed no taste  
of good or evil, to know  
I was ******