of being

I know this happiness

is provisional:

     the looming presences —

     great suffering, great fear —

     withdraw only 

     into peripheral vision:

but ineluctable this shimmering 

of wind in the blue leaves:

this flood of stillness 

widening the lake of sky:

this need to dance, 

this need to kneel: 

         this mystery:

Denise Levertov

Photo:  Peter Bowers

Web

Intricate and untraceable
weaving and interweaving,
dark strand with light:

designed, beyond
all spiderly contrivance,
to link, not to entrap:

elation, grief, joy, contrition, entwined;

shaking, changing,

forever

forming,

transforming:

all praise,

all praise to the

great web.






Denise Levertov
Photo:  Peter Bowers

The Avowal

As swimmers dare

to  lie face to the sky

and water bears them,

as hawks rest upon air

and air sustains them,

so would I learn to attain 

freefall, and float

in Creator Spirit's deep embrace,

knowing no effort earns

that all-surrounding grace. 

Denise Levertov

Photo:  Peter Bowers