Believe This | Poem by Richard Levine

When we’re on all fours in a garden, planting or weeding, we’re as close to our ancient ancestors as we’re going to get. Here, while he works in the dirt, Richard Levine feels the sacred looking over his shoulder.

When we’re on all fours in a garden, planting or weeding, we’re as close to our ancient ancestors as we’re going to get. Here, while he works in the dirt, Richard Levine feels the sacred looking over his shoulder.

Believe This

All morning, doing the hard, root-wrestling

work of turning a yard from the wild

to a gardener’s will, I heard a bird singing

from a hidden, though not distant, perch;

a song of swift, syncopated syllables sounding

like, Can you believe this, believe this, believe?

Can you believe this, believe this, believe?

And all morning, I did believe. All morning,

between break-even bouts with the unwanted,

I wanted to see that bird, and looked up so

I might later recognize it in a guide, and know

and call its name, but even more, I wanted

to join its church. For all morning, and many

a time in my life, I have wondered who, beyond

this plot I work, has called the order of being,

that givers of food are deemed lesser

than are the receivers. All morning,

muscling my will against that of the wild,

to claim a place in the bounty of earth,

seed, root, sun and rain, I offered my labor

as a kind of grace, and gave thanks even

for the aching in my body, which reached

beyond this work and this gift of struggle.

 

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetrymagazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright © 2010 by Richard Levine, from his most recent book of poetry, That Country’s Soul, Finishing Line Press, 2010, by permission of Richard Levine and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2011 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

 


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Life

One of Return Home’s cells, filled entirely with organic material, demonstrates what the terramation cells look like. Based in Auburn, Return Home is one of the few terramation companies in the world. They transform people into soil. File photo
What we talk about, or not, when talking about death

Puget Sound area organizations and businesses strive to normalize the topic of dying.

Key to Change student Eden Pawlos receives a private lesson from Seattle Symphony violinist Ilana Zaks at the Renton studio. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang /Sound Publishing
Key to Change opens doors in Des Moines for local young musicians

Second studio added to go with Renton location

With Nancy Turner’s final days as cook coming to an end after 40 years, Kent Lutheran Church is looking for volunteers to cook for the Kent Community Monday Night Supper served all year. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
Church seeks volunteer cooks, helpers for Kent Monday Night Supper

Free meal to community each Monday at Kent Lutheran Church

t
Kent Community Monday Night Supper cook stepping down after 40 years

Nancy Turner to turn in her apron as she approaches 90th birthday

Photos by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Elf Academy cadets in Renton earn their jingle bells | Photos

The annual Elf Academy let’s local kids get their holiday spirit on with fun games, dancing and crafts.

Courtesy of the Grand Kyiv Ballet.
Ukraine’s most prestigious dancers bring ‘The Nutcracker’ to South King County

On Sunday, Dec. 22, the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” will showcase the most prestigious ballet dancers from Ukraine.

The Kent International Festival received a $15,700 grant from 4Culture, one of several Kent groups to get funds. Courtesy Photo, Kent International Festival
Kent cultural groups to receive county grants from 4Culture

Kent International Festival, Kent Downtown Partnership, Greater Kent Historical Society among organizations

t
Kent’s Winterfest kicks off holiday season with tree lighting, parade

‘A fun, fabulous time had by all’ during celebration at Town Square Plaza

Cody Jinks will bring his honky-tonk music Thursday, July 17 to the ShoWare Center in Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, Cody Jinks
Cody Jinks Hippies & Cowboys Tour coming to Kent’s ShoWare Center

Tickets go on sale Dec. 6 for July 17 honky-tonk concert

t
Kent’s Allegro dance studio to present sensory friendly holiday show

Performance is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 at Auburn Performing Arts Center

t
Miss Teen India contestant represents Renton

Washington state’s 1st runner-up is on her way to the national competition.

t
Annual Kent Winterfest set for Saturday, Dec. 7 at Town Square Plaza

Food trucks, parade, music, tree lighting part of 2 to 7 p.m. festival downtown