The Scene – Dec. 20, 2021
We know the scene: the room, variously furnished, almost always a lectern, a book; alwaysthe tall lily.Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering,whom she acknowledges, a guest. But we are told of meek obedience. No one mentionscourage.The engendering Spiritdid not enter her without consent.God waited. She was freeto accept or […]
Annunciation
by Denise Levertov We know the scene: the room, variously furnished, almost always a lectern, a book; alwaysthe tall lily.Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering,whom she acknowledges, a guest. But we are told of meek obedience. No one mentionscourage.The engendering Spiritdid not enter her without consent.God waited. She was […]
A Certain Day – June 18, 2021
A certain day became a presence to me;there it was, confronting me — a sky, air, light:a being. And before it started to descendfrom the height of noon, it leaned over and struck my shoulder as if withthe flat of a sword, granting mehonor and a task. The day’s blowrang out metallic — or it […]
Witness – Mar. 19, 2021
Sometimes the mountainis hidden from me in veilsof cloud, sometimesI am hidden from the mountainin veils of inattention, apathy, fatigue,when I forget or refuse to godown to the shore or a few yardsup the road, on a clear day,to reconfirmthat witnessing presence. -Denise Levertov, Selected Poems
