exposure

It was not good that man should be alone

And so his own flesh should be opened

To make another,

flesh of his kind

From none other than rib,

side piece,

curved, not straight,

she was taken;

And was this chosen

to save man’s pride,

taken from a place that cannot be seen when he is naked?

Is she, molded from him,

forever beholden,

forever less than,

forever reminded where she came from?

But now then, his heart

was left more exposed—

did he give away protection for companion,

for bone and flesh like his?

Was she made not of bony rib, but

from the safety upon the other side of the hill,

or a strong beam holding the tabernacle in place?

For in this marriage

neither he nor her should find themselves

deferring, lessening,

to build the other’s dominion;

(For he was first a give,

and she was born of a take)

And so both were naked,

not ashamed

Nothing on the outside appeared missing;

but his rib was dislodged,

and her heart turned to sin

and his heart soon followed, seeking its bone of protection

(And she gave over the fruit

to his taking hand)

And ultimately,

both were left

before His wrath,

exile,

and at His mercy,

still not alone