Cain's Dilemma

Evil broiled him changing his thoughts, and he perceived not The slow desiccation of his mind, how his brain infected rot From the poison of pride! More and more putrid he became Despising his brother for doing good, and jealousy riled him Into hatred darks vice, while self-willed that bright altar aflame Stood scorned by disobedience, with false sacrifice: a grim Portrait of man’s descent to sin: not even God’s awful voice Could deter the barbarous design, Cain had made his choice. Then innocent Abel came without questions or suspicions there To offer up the all of self, an unblemished lamb that may repair Vicariously his parents’ pagan practice, or alter man’s dark doom. And where he knelt t pray the savage succubus of a sinful knife Tore mercilessly through brotherly flesh, palling time with gloom. O dreadful dead to innocence done, O impious devouring of life! The treacherous act stained earth and time, and heckle our desire Pinning us with the wicked weight of memory, and fearful fire. And so forever on, that seed that Adam planted for his child Grows in the jungle of human heart, and bitter fruits most vile Is sucked in every age to come. Brothers against brothers, we Become fiends of slobbering greed, despising poor and weak In our haste for lucre’s filth and hegemony. O terrible tyranny, Dungeon hearted, dismal man, murderer of the pure, so bleak For you judgment growling at the end. O but worse, O Cain The torment of the fire, the end of wickedness is eternal pain.