.ANNUNCIATION by Denise Levertov
Hail, space for the uncontained God’
From the Agathistos Hymn, Greece,
We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,
almost always a lectern, a book; always
the tall lily.
Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,
the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering,
whom she acknowledges, a guest.But we are told of meek obedience.
No one mentions
courage.
The engendering Spirit
did not enter her without consent.
God waited.She was free
to accept or to refuse, choice
integral to humanness.
Aren’t there annunciations
of one sort or another
in most lives?
Some unwillingly
undertake great destinies,
enact them in sullen pride,
uncomprehending.
More often
those moments
when roads of light and storm
open from darkness in a man or woman,
are turned away from
in dread, in a wave of weakness, in despair
and with relief.
Ordinary lives continue.
God does not smite them.
But the gates close, the pathway vanishes.
She had been a child who played, ate, slept
like any other child – but unlike others,
wept only for pity, laughed
in joy not triumph.
Compassion and intelligence fused in her, indivisible.
Called to a destiny more momentous
than any in all of Time,
she did not quail,
only asked
a simple, ‘How can this be?’
and gravely, courteously,
took to heart the angel’s reply,
perceiving instantly
the astounding ministry she was offered: to bear in her womb
Infinite weight and lightness; to carry
in hidden, finite inwardness,
nine months of Eternity; to contain
in slender vase of being,
the sum of power –
in narrow flesh,
the sum of light.
Then bring to birth,
push out into air, a Man-child
needing, like any other,
milk and love –but who was God.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I'm back. I missed everyone!!! 🌻 My Ipad & computer died a few weeks ago & my kindle is slowly biting the dust, too. I ordered new ones, but they're backordered. 😕 I love you all! xo
My breast biopsy was negative, thankfully, but both of my arms (biceps/deltoids) were severely strained from being overstretched during surgery. I'd been going to physical therapy twice a week for months now which drains me and is horrifyingly hard/painful. My hip pain was mostly resolved, but both of my arms are in severe pain. 😂 I laugh because I'm jinxed when it comes to pain...it's been never-ending and always severe. No medication for it, either. I can't even take Advil because it kills my stomach. I'm mortally depressed most days and struggle to even get up and dressed. But, as He promised, God holds me up and covers me with his wings (Psalm 91) and I am comforted, comforted and safe. 🙏 🎈📚 God bless you all.
That's my story today.
