“Wakingin Eden”

“He awoke in Eden. The fleeceflowers dotted the low groundcover like tiny temples of color in the otherwise even green. Short to moderately tall spruces and firs encircled him. Lichens spiraled up the side of the trees like boas round a lady’s neck. The early morning light chastened the green hues of the trees and bushes at their feet, bringing in yellow subtones and fuzzing the distinctness of object shapes. The air was as fresh as an infant’s breath, laden with moisture, and vivifying in the extreme. Soft and melodious bird calls sounded, though their makers remained invisible. Theo felt as if he were the only man in the world, and that he had gone to sleep only to wake up in paradise. Although he had lived alone for a very long time, Theo found his present locale so reminiscent of the Garden of Eden that he would have been only slightly surprised to turn around and find a charming naked woman approaching him, bitten apple in hand.”