Today as I prepare to write a sermon about dandelions and blessings, I share a poem by Denise Levertov. My apologies to those who despise dandelions.
But we have only begun
to love the earth.
We have only begun
to imagine the fullness of life.
How could we tire of hope?
So much in the bud.
How can desire fail?
We have only begun
to imagine justice and mercy
only begun to envision
how it might be
to live as siblings with beast
and flower,
not as oppressors.
Surely our river
cannot already be hastening
into the sea of non-being?
Surely it cannot
drag, in the silt,
all that is innocent?
But yet, not yet
there is too much broken
that must be mended,
too much hurt we have done
to each other
that cannot yet be forgiven.
We have only begun to know
the power that is in us if we
would join
our solitudes in the
communion of struggle.
So much is unfolding that must
complete its gesture,
so much is in the bud.
over and around the rainbow 
As a person of Mennonite roots who now identifies with the zen community, this is perfect. Thank you
Oooo, I love this imagery…Dear friend Pip-maybe best to go find a dandelion and take a puff when the right time comes….I wonder what you’d think then 😉
Combining images of environmentalism and social justice! “We have only begun to imagine justice and mercy — only begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower, not as oppressors.” Question: can siblings eat each other without being oppressors? Do flowers eat each other? And where do fossils and minerals and parts per million come in? And can we be siblings to aquifers, too? Will we outlive the Ogallala? It’s not fair to outlive our siblings, is it? That’s some kind of oppression, but who gets hurt the most? Sorry, Ms. Levertov, your poem makes us think, but gets us all twisted up.