'Come', spoke the Almighty to Adam,
'There's work to do, even in Eden.'
'I want to see what you call them,'
The Lord said. 'It's a good day for it.'
'And take your thumb out of your mouth.'
He added. (Adam was missing his mother.)
So they shuffled past, or they hopped,
Or they waddled. The beasts of the field
And the fowls of the air,
Pretending not to notice him.
'Speak up now,' said the Lord God briskly,
'Give each and every one the name thereof.'
'Fido,' said Adam, thinking hard,
As the animals went past him one by one.
'Bambi', 'Harpy', 'Pooh',
'Incitatus', 'Acidosis', 'Apparat',
'Krafft-Ebbing', 'Indo-China, 'Schnorkel',
'Buggins', 'Bollock' -
'Bullock will do', said the Lord God, 'I like it'.
The rest are rubbish. You must try again tomorrow.'
'Can't you let her name something?'
Begged Adam. 'She's always on at me
About the animals.'
'Herself a fairer flower,'
Murmured God. 'Hardly necessary.
I would say. But if it makes her happy . . . .'
o-o
'What a trek!' Eve muttered.
'The animals came to Adam . . .
Well, Mohammed must go the mountain.'
'What's that you said', the Almighty asked.
But she was on her way.
o-o
'Lady's finger,' said Eve.
'Lady's smock'.
'Lady's slipper'.
'Lady's tresses . . . .'
She paused.
'Adam's apple.'
'No,' said the Lord.
'Strike that out.'
'Old man's beard, then.'
She sped towards the mountain.
'Lily,
Rose,
Violet,
Daisy,
Poppy,
Amaryllis,
Eglantine,
Veronica,
Marigold,
Iris,
Marguerite,
Pansy,
Petunia,
Jasmine,
May.'
'I'm worn out,' she gasped.
'Belladonna -
And that's all for today.'
o-o
'She's better at names than you were,'
The Lord observed.
'They all sound womanish to me,'
Said Adam, nettled.
DJ.Enright
1920-2002
