"Seeing for a moment" (Denise Levertov)

                                                               Supposably Both

_ _ _

I thought I was growing wings —

it was a cocoon.

I thought, now is the time to step

into the fire —

it was deep water.

Eschatology is a word I learned

as a child: the study of Last Things;

facing my mirror — no longer young,

the news — always of death,

the dogs — rising from sleep and clamoring

and howling, howling,

nevertheless

I see for a moment

that's not it: it is

the First Things.

Word after word

floats through the glass.

Towards me.

— Denise Levertov