Opening Words -- Denise Levertov

Guest poem submitted by Rob Bos:

(Poem #1302) Opening Words I believe the earth exists, and in each minim mote of its dust the holy glow of thy candle. Thou unknown I know, thou spirit, giver, lover of making, of the wrought letter, wrought flower, iron, deed, dream. Dust of the earth, help thou my unbelief. Drift gray become gold, in the beam of vision. I believe with doubt. I doubt and interrupt my doubt with belief. Be, beloved, threatened world. Each minim mote. Not the poisonous luminescence forced out of its privacy, The sacred lock of its cell broken. No, the ordinary glow of common dust in ancient sunlight. Be, that I may believe. Amen. -- Denise Levertov

This poem, "Opening Words", by Denise Levertov, was pointed out to a
friend, after I included a segment of "Goodbye to Tolerance" in my
signature.  I immediately fell in love with it, because it so thoroughly
amplifies my own feelings on the nature of the Divine, and the world,
and a peculiarly atheist form of spirituality.  "I believe the earth" is
something that should be a guidepost, a starting point. It exists, and
we find "in each minim mote / of its dust the holy / glow of thy
candle".  This is an ode to doubt, to belief and unbelief, to the world
and its making and giving and creating...

.. and the phrase "each minim mote" is beautifully assonant.

The more I read of Ms. Levertov, the more I like her.

Rob Bos.