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by Stephen Levine
There is part of us that says
it is never too late to be reborn
on the inbreath each morning.
There is an elemental love in the universe
by which name we know each other
and encourage ourselves to live.
There is a silver river that connects everything
from which some part of us never leaves.
There is a mercy making its way
up through the ocean of the earth
to the shores of our feet.
There is a music so sweet it is almost unbearable
that is composed between the ear
and the heart which reminds us.
There is a diamond-glint, a seed of longing
in ourselves that recognizes the potential
absence of gravity in another.
There is part of us that
says it is never too late to be reborn
on the inbreath each morning.
Somewhere there is a basket
that contains all our failures.
It is a big basket. It wants to know
what to do with these.
Mercy has no use for them.
2007 © by Stephen Levine
Posted here with kind permission of Larson Publications
Stephen Levine is the bestselling author of A Gradual Awakening, Who Dies?, Meetings at the Edge, Healing into Life and Death, Guided Meditations, Embracing the Beloved, A Year to Live, Turning toward the Mystery, and Unattended Sorrow. This poem comes from his new book, Breaking the Drought: Visions of Grace, of which Roshi Joan Halifax writes, "This is a gorgeous book, a book of powerful images, experience, beauty, and wisdom. Stephen Levine has always told the truth; now he does it with the great beauty of his poetry ringing in our hearts."
See Stephen and his wife Ondrea's website, Levine Talks.
See also:
"This awkward speck of dust"
"Seeing her face this morning..."
"Mother of us all"
"A different death"