poetic delight

Once Only

Denise Levertov

All which, because it was
flame and song and granted us
joy, we thought we'd do, be, revisit,
turns out to have been what it was
that once, only; every initiation
did not begin
a series, a build-up:  the marvelous
      did happen in our lives, our stories
       are not drab with its absence: but don't
expect now to return for more.  Whatever more
there will be will be
unique as those were unique.  Try
to acknowledge the next
song in its body-halo of flames as utterly
present, as now or never.