Sunday, October 07, 2007

Poem by David Whyte: "Faith"

FAITH

I want to write about faith,
about the way the moon rises
over cold snow, night after night,

faithful even as it fades from fullness,
slowly becoming that last curving and impossible
sliver of light before the final darkness.

But I have no faith myself
I refuse it even the smallest entry.

Let this then, my small poem,
like a new moon, slender and barely open,
be the first prayer that opens me to faith.


David Whyte

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful poem. Reminds me that it is okay to be with oneself when one is lacking what one loves and desires. Have you seen morning poem by mary oliver? The sun rose beautiful over the ponds of teh world, whether or not you noticed.
    Thanks.

    Morning Poem by Mary Oliver
    Every morning
    the world
    is created.
    Under the orange
    sticks of the sun
    the heaped
    ashes of the night
    turn into leaves again
    and fasten themselves to the high branches ---
    and the ponds appear
    like black cloth
    on which are painted islands
    of summer lilies.
    If it is your nature
    to be happy
    you will swim away along the soft trails
    for hours, your imagination
    alighting everywhere.
    And if your spirit
    carries within it
    the thorn
    that is heavier than lead ---
    if it's all you can do
    to keep on trudging ---
    there is still
    somewhere deep within you
    a beast shouting that the earth
    is exactly what it wanted ---
    each pond with its blazing lilies
    is a prayer heard and answered
    lavishly,
    every morning,
    whether or not
    you have ever dared to be happy,
    whether or not
    you have ever dared to pray.

    from Dream Work (1986) by Mary Oliver
    © Mary Oliver

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  2. Thank you for this.I strive always to surrender to Faith and Hope and Joy when my life doesn't deliver.Nature's unnending renewal is an inspiration.

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