Is starting an essay with a quote a bad idea?

I have a term paper due in a week and in doing my research I found a quote that I think would be a great way to start my paper but I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. My paper will be on Don Delillo’s novel White Noise which deals with the fear of death. I want to use a quote from a Wallace Stevens poem called Sunday Morning. The quote reads, “Death is the mother of beauty; hence from her, alone, shall come fulfillment to our dreams.”

I will then explain the quote and ask the reader if this is true then why do we fear death. Then I will go on to Don Delillo’s work and whatnot. I’m just not sure if starting a paper with a quote is acceptable. I’d appreciate any advice or opinions.