ROOM ON THE LEFT: Gone fishin'

Sunday, October 10, 2010

the roomontheleft is empty

the light has been shut off

the occupant is missing

she hopes you will not scoff

she's down at the beach with her sister

they are playing in the sun

they left it all behind them

'coz

they heard the sea

say come

come down and spend some time with me

do anything you please

the sun is here the sand is warm

and there's a gentle breeze

..........

here she comes...

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

ROOM ON THE LEFT