Beleven Lupine
Belief, be-lieve, be leaves. I believe
you can eat the greens of Oregon Sorrel
like a Shamrock salad, and you won’t die.
I believe in bleeding heart blossoms,
the power of Salmonberries to make me smile
and ah the awe of a single raindrop
in a wide lupine cup. But I don’t believe
that skunk cabbage really stinks
(even though I know it does).
I believe in rolling
rivers and peacock blue twilight.
I believe hoot owls are wiser than we.
I believe in the mystery of the silent moth
forever circling, circling, circling a flickering flame.
I believe in deathly attraction ~
loving hard, to the bone, then letting go.
I believe in the majesty of towering cedar
and that the knots in wooden fences
eventually all fall out, leaving peep holes
for the curious and the brave.
But I don’t believe in fences or pearly gates.
I do believe that death is just a simple part of life,
but I’m not so sure that Jesus died just for us
I believe in the blessed resurrection of trillium
every March, every year, after the woodland violets
and just before Solomon’s seal and I believe
in emerald lupine with regal purple stalks
and pods filled with seedy promise.
Beleven is a Dutch word meaning to experience, live, go
through, or openly profess/practice a faith or conviction.
