Sunday, January 1, 2017

To a New Year

Happy New Year, everyone!


FOR THE NEW YEAR, 1981

I have a small grain of hope—
one small crystal that gleams
clear colors out of transparency.
I need more.

I break off a fragment
to send you.

Please take
this grain of a grain of hope
so that mine won’t shrink.

Please share your fragment
so that yours will grow.

Only so, by division,
will hope increase,

like a clump of irises, which will cease to flower
unless you distribute
the clustered roots, unlikely source—
clumsy and earth-covered—
                                       of grace.                                              


Denise Levertov

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