Hungry
Hungry
Poem by Nancy Posey
Artwork by Eleanor Leonne Bennett
Go ahead. Make me the ultimate bad example,
crouching naked now behind bushes, my breasts
hidden only by my crossed arms and a few fig leaves.
You would think I might have noticed them sooner,
something of my own I had that he had not,
yet all I’ve felt for weeks now is that gnawing
deep in my belly, desire for what I should not.
First wife, first mother, a God-dreamt helpmeet,
all accolades I took in stride, no pride on my part.
How then did I fall so far as to be immortalized
for all times as archetypal temptress? Weak enough
to trust a serpent, the serpent, and then sharing my sin
with him, the man who shared his rib—though I know
he had no choice—I blush to remember how quickly
when he blamed me or God—That woman
you gave me, he called me. I too turned and passed
the blame to that creature soon destined to crawl
on his belly for all time. Should I have spoken the truth?
Who could have blamed me if I had said, when asked
why, I was just so hungry, and the fruit looked so good.
-refers from the word “fruit” in Foster Cameron Hunter’s poem The Significance of Singing Fruit
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Thursday Poem Share « Jessie Carty →
April 21st, 2011 → 1:30 pm[...] and it is fantastic! I actually published one of the poems that appears in the collection titled Hungry over at Referential. This is a really excellent example of a chapbook. Nancy compiled poems that [...]
Karyn
February 8, 2011
Wonderful! My favorite line: “when asked why, I was just so hungry, and the fruit looked so good.”
jessiecarty
February 8, 2011
I know! I heard this read at a poetry reading and I was like MUST HAVE!
Caren
February 8, 2011
Love it. I think we are all “That Woman”, at some point.
Annmarie Lockhart
February 23, 2011
I can never resist a good apple poem. Love it!
Nancy Coats Posey
September 22, 2011
Thanks, Jessie. Love the photograph, Eleanor. And yes, I do have more copies of the chapbook for anyone who’s interested!