Eve of the Fall was cause; and yet, not she,
But Adam wrought the death, and only he;
Yet had she been obedient, verily,
Death had not struck the whole posterity -
For Life had flourished in the Parent-tree.
Eve of our woe was cause; yet verily,
It was not Eve, but Adam who would be
The worker of our grief, and none but he;
He was the stock of our humanity,
Which stock was cursed when sin should grafted be.
Eve from the Serpent learned to love a lie;
Yet Adam was it wrought delinquency:
Eve wrought the garment of his shame; but he
Clothed him therewith, to hide impurity,
And life thus forfeited eternally.
This was of death the cause; shall we not see
How by the strength of Dual-unity
That cause shall be reversed, so good may be
The Conqueror of evil? Verily,
Wisdom condign thus wrought almightily.
The Life arose; and Mary, graced should be
Its cause to plead in our humanity:
She was obedient; yet it was not she
Who wrought out Life for Man, but only He
Who Life hath purchased for the Parent-tree.
Mary of Hope is cause; yet verily,
It was not Mary; it was only He,
Her Son and God's, who purchased Hope: for He
The Father is of that Humanity
In which New Stock the curse hath ceased to be.
And Mary heard the Angel; verily,
She heard the Truth and loved it; yet was He
The Truth Himself who spake - He, verily,
For whom she wrought the Garment in which He,
Clothed in her flesh, will live unendingly.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote