I do not really know much about AE Houseman. Born a 19th century modern man in England, it seems he fell apart in this messy world. A bright student who failed his Oxford exams. He also seems to have had some sexual identity problems. He seems to be a man who knew about sin.
In this poem he presents Adam in Eden and leaves with a soulful, emotional connection of his to the consequences of his Patriarch.
When Adam walked in Eden young,
Happy, tis writ, was he,
Whie high the fruit of knowledge hung
Unbitten on the tree.
Happy was he the livelong day;
I doubt ’tis written wrong:
The heart of man, for all they say,
Was never happy long.
And now my feet are tired of rest,
and here they will not stay,
and the soul fevers in my breast
and aches to be away.
I have never identified with the Lord’s prayer much until recently. Lately, however, with the aching “to be away,” the “Thy kingdom come” of Jesus’ prayer seems to be weighing heavy on my heart. Is it the struggling of my own heart with sin? Is it the fact that a great many of my friends these days are Jews and Muslims? “Come Messiah,” I find myself begging at times. And when He comes, if it results in “Thy will be done” if it changes nothing except for my own heart, I think that would be enough. There would be joy. Nice poem.