Featured poem, ‘Most Fateful Day: A Ghazal’, by Susan Chast

Autumn Apples

Most Fateful Day: A Ghazal

A hiss echoed from its spiked tongue and you thought
That the snake had not lied to you in word and in thought?

Watch it slide away and take the apple along too
Neither giving it to you nor to God as we thought

Your tell-tale teeth marks are in it too, along with my own—
Seeing our DNA together, the snake will know that you thought

We’d be together in Eden or in jail and– no matter how much
We pay for it–happiness follows this ability to have thought.

But doubt is quite difficult. I liked it much better
When fate was determined and we need not have thought

About all of the options, the leaves of the trees, whether
To beat you or to love you. I wish I had thought

This before, dear Lady, I opened my mouth to your pleases
And caresses and most seductive scatterings of thought.

Susan Chast’s work has been workshopped at dVersePoets and Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads. One of her poems was recently published in the first issue of Nain Rouge Magazine. She blogs at Susan’s Poetry, and you can find out a bit more about her in this interview at Poets United.

*

Want to see YOUR poem featured on ONS? Read this post first: submission guidelines are at the bottom. Good luck!

*

You can also visit Read This Press for more poetry (and typewriter paraphernalia!). Alternatively, check out Edinburgh Vintage, our sister site. If you want to get in touch you can follow OneNightStanzas on Twitter, or email claire[at]onenightstanzas.com. I reply as swiftly as I can!

(Photo credit)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

4 Responses to “Featured poem, ‘Most Fateful Day: A Ghazal’, by Susan Chast”

  1. brian miller Says:

    nice…susan is a wonderful word artist…a great find for me this last year and its great as well to see her getting recognition as well….wonderful verse susan….i like the blend of intimacy and the use of the temptation story as well….fav lines….

    We’d be together in Eden or in jail and– no matter how much
    We pay for it–happiness follows this ability to have thought.

  2. sreeja Says:

    So nice and thoughtful Susan…..many good wishes your way…..you write with your heart and we will read with our heart…….many miles to go….

  3. Margaret Says:

    Knowledge hasn’t done us much good…or perhaps most don’t truly search for it in themselves. I like this poem, it’s personal voice works quite well!

  4. Mary Mansfield Says:

    Great take on the story of temptation! I’ve recently become acquainted with Susan’s work, an amazing talent for sure!

    Very happy to stumble across this site, will be bookmarking it to check things out!