FAITH by David Whyte
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
slither of light before the final darkness.
But I have no faith myself
I refuse it 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.
It would perhaps be more appropriate to feature a photo of the new moon , but the point, I believe, has to do with constancy of faith, even as the moon runs through its cycles, so ANY cycle ought to do.
My apologies to David Whyte for incorrect line indentations — I guess I have more research to do on line spacing in wordpress.
NOTE: deanna7trees at “eclectic meanderings” connected me to Nancy’s blog “pomegrante trail“, where interestingly Nancy links last night’s moon with this very same poem of David Whyte’s!
What a perfect pair of photo and poem! Perhaps it is because I am a city gal, but I love the lacing of the wires across the image.
I am saving this poem for future reference for I oftn find myself with a lack faith… perhaps all it needs is a reminder of moon.
I love this poem, too… there’s something about its simplicity that grabs me. If you can ever hear David Whyte read his poetry, I really recommend it – his voice is magic.
I kind like the wires, too… I couldn’t really avoid them and then I found myself wondering, ‘why should I?’
Lovely poem and photo, your work is very nice.Maisie.
Maisie – I appreciate your comment… thanks.
Nancy – how weird?!! I just went to your post, featuring David Whyte reading the very poem I transcribed here, with your own photo of the moon! It probably happens more in the blogosphere than we know, but this is a rare moment of synchronicity, I think. Thank you for pointing out our shared thoughts! I loved what David Whyte has to say in that YouTube piece – especially – “Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn that anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.” I’ll take this coincident to mean that I probably ought to write those words and put them on my forehead for a few days.
Ahhh…Dee…Deanna sent me here and it was well worth it! For we are on the very same page tonight! I like seeing the words typed out and you are right his voice is a magic you can fall into. I especially appreciate his accent, deep tone and repetitive phrasing…really holds you there in the words embrace.
Your moon photos are beautiful. When I take photos out front I either have to include the wires or zoom in…a lot! But years ago I started to see the wires above (as well as other places) as “places to weave”, so now they hold beauty and promise for me.
Thank you for your beautiful post. I hope you don’t mind if I link it on my blog post of the same subject!
don’t you love synchronicity…
it’s wild, it’s mysterious, and it’s one of the few ways I look for Source