Welcome to the Daily Poem, a podcast from Goldberry Studios. I'm Sean Johnson, and today is Wednesday, June 26th,

2004. Today's offering is slightly unusual, in that it is arguably the first poem, period. Today's poem

is spoken by Adam, the first man, and it can be found in the book of

Genesis, in the Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures, chapter 2, verse 23. I will read it once,

definitely say a few things about it, and then read it one more time.

This is in the King James Version.

What else?

Genesis 2.23.

And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.

Now in case you need to be reminded of the context for this verse, his poem, rather, God has just created the world. He has filled it with plant life and animal life,

and then he has crowned that creation by making man in his own image. Man, singular and solitary. And this man, Adam, that's what his name means in Hebrew,

is alone. And he's given the task of naming the animals and as the animals are paraded before him

so that he can execute this task, there's this sense that he's also looking for

companionship, that though I'm sure he met some nice dogs and cockatiels, is just not forthcoming

from the animal kingdom, from the beasts.

And so he feels a sense of loneliness.

And it is at this moment when man has been allowed to feel his lack,

because you know how men can be. You know how men can be.

It's good that he was allowed to feel his lack before it was satisfied. My children are a great

example. If you offer them food before they are hungry, their appreciation for it is far less

than if you offer them that same food

after they themselves have complained of their hunger.

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