"I thought I was growing wings..."

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. ...(more)


From "Seeing for a Moment" by Denise Levertov. Complete poem at Poetry Foundation.

Four Allegories: Falsehood (or Wisdom), Giovanni Bellini, c.1490. Image from Web Gallery of Art,