Poem: Timshel(East of Eden)

John Steinbeck is my favorite author, and "East of Eden" one of my favorite books. Make sure you read the footnote below.

Timshel(East of Eden)

East of Eden, fulfillment lies.
What life can offer the garden hides.
If masked illusion should guide the day,
The "happy" shell eventually will break away.
A fleeting vision that the world is pure
Leaves one ill-prepared for what they must endure.
Unfairly held to perfect measure,
Might stop the soul from knowing pleasure.
For where one cannot see a darkened sky,
Tomorrow’s sun shined air is just a lie.
Better yet to know, somewhere within is held,
Hidden parts of evil with goodness meld.
The struggle’s wrought with tribulation;
Makes sometimes arduous, self-preservation.
A delicate balance to not concede;
Within corrupted ways we might recede.
And at the crossroads, in time, all shall know
The choice is ours which way to go.
Thou mayest set right the sins you’ve laid,
And chance the joys of life be made.
So in this war the scales gently quiver
Toward the choice the mind might soon deliver.
East of Eden the spirit knows it’s free
To be what faith and courage will let it be.

Copyright SGW 1998

Footnote: "East of Eden" was written by John Steinbeck. "Timshel" is the Hebrew word for "Thou mayest." "timshel - ‘Thou mayest’ - that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on man. For if ‘Thou mayest’ - it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’" - John Steinbeck.