Monday, December 17, 2012

Gone From My Sight



I am standing by the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch
until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says, ‘There she goes!
Gone where? Gone from my sight – that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says,
‘There she goes! ‘ ,
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout :
‘Here she comes!’

Henry Van Dyke, 19th century



8 comments:

Kay Heath said...

Beautiful and perfect.

Nancy said...

I have read this before -- and forgot it, until rereading it now. It is the perfect sentiment for those left behind in Newtown. Thanks for sharing.
Nancy from joy for grace

Jamie said...

Thank you for this! Jamie V in MT

Anonymous said...

Wow - I am speechless. Thank you for posting this. As President Obama said "We can't tolerate this anymore, these tragedies must end" Patricia O' Keefe

Sherri said...

What a truly beautiful message during this time of so much sadness. Thank you for sharing this today.

Anne said...

Lovely words of comfort.

Lee said...

My husband passed in October and our pastor quoted this. It made us stop and think. Thank you again. Happy Holidays everyone.

Lee said...

My husband passed away in October and our pastor quoted this poem. It really meant a lot to my family. Thank you.