
Jørn Earl Otte
Faith -- April 1st - National Poetry Month
To begin my daily poetry postings for national poetry month, here is the first poem I ever had published, which I wrote while a student at Goddard College

Faith
I have decided to believe in mountains
standing guard under thunderclouds,
rivers, the way the rocks love
to be caressed
by the ever-present waters.
I believe in lemon thyme, rosemary,
the way basil leaves linger
with tenderness on my tongue.
I choose to believe in blueberry
sweetness, the way a strawberry splashes
juice on your lips, I believe in blackberry
tartness, ripe raspberry stains on my daughter’s fingers.
I have decided to believe in the skunk
that befouls the leaf pile in my backyard,
pungent wild onions,
deer droppings near my backdoor.
Of course these holy, blessed
creations do not depend upon my faith,
but I still choose to believe
that when my son and I
get our hands covered
in the golden dirt of our small garden,
I am planting something inside
his wholesome heart
that will endure all future hunters,
and will give rise to unrepentant ocean currents,
ancient stoic oak trees, and fields of wild grass
untouched by human hands.