O Mother Eve, in reason wouldst thou be
Afflicted and despairing, when, to thee
Of Nature's Order shaken, constantly
Fresh tales from Earth of grief and misery
By Souls were brought to Limbo - woe to thee.
The centre of her Orbit lost: oh, see,
Her parts will disintegrate. Anarchy,
The Dragon's tool, all uncontrolled will be
And march throughout the earth triumphantly;
While Order from her throne hurled down will be-
Such were the fruits of thy delinquency,
O Nature, when the Flood o'erwhelmed thee.
Then, one alone of all thy family
Was found by God to stand. Alone was he
Faithful in his inflexibility.
And when again the race spread mightily
And peopled nations, and prosperity
Smiled on thy children - then it was that He
Whom thou hadst left, returned and looked for thee
And for His Name's sake chose one family.
God then did raise in Sion that fair Tree
Which grew and prospered; and posterity
Called on the God of Abraham, teaching thee,
O Nature, what the Natural Law must be
Writ in each soul of Adam's progeny.
So did the Word of God most mightily
Speak through His wonders. He appointed thee,
O Israel, Guardian of the Mystery
'Twixt God and Man. The Promise gave He thee,.
By which our Nature's rights restored should be.
But ere a Promise of redemption be
By Nature realized, she fain must be
Of sin convicted - know her slavery. .
So came the Law from Sinai. Then did she
The lesson learn of her impurity.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote