Monday, October 13, 2008

"What Is Dying?"

A Poem sent by a new friend that I met only weeks before we lost the baby.

I am standing upon 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 her until at length she hangs like
A speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come
Down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says, "There! She's gone."
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 place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her;
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, "There! She's gone,"
There are other eyes watching her coming
And other voices ready to take up the glad shout,
"There she comes!"
That is dying.

8 comments:

laura said...

That explains it so well! I love that! It really puts things into perspective. Tylie is obsessed with that dress you gave her. Thanks for taking her, she loves playing with Ami!!

Bri said...

I love this poem. It's in the back of a book we used to give our families. My favorite line has to be, "Her diminished size is in me, not in her". So true and yet so very hard to remember. I know Jackson is just as beautiful and strong now as he was before he left you .

I always love that "beyond the veil" idea...it makes death feel so much less lonesome.

Stock Family said...

That is a great poem and a wonderful one to share.

A lot of people don't know that I am pregnant because I'm not showing very much. My placenta is very low right now and I'm thinking that is why I'm so small. We are hoping it moves up, and my DR is watching it. I get crap from some friends and family that are also pregnant because they are bigger than me and not as far along!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I hurt inside everytime I think about it and wonder if I would be as strong as you in that situation. It's hard to know what to say because words don't describe the sorrow, but thanks again for sharing.

Haught Fudge said...

We love you guys. Porter is in my thoughts often.

Kaitlin Hakes said...

Dear Sweet Kelly,
Thank you so much for the comment you left on our blog. Blue had left a comment a while back ago and I tried and tried to find your blog but failed. I'm so sorry to hear about the lose of your sweet little boy. I know its hard not to be angry or blame yourself or think what could I have done diffrently. You are so strong! Its amazing to see how postive you are through all of this. After we had little Julia the doctor said we could probably only have one more because of all the laboring and than ending up with a csection twice, I guess it was a lot on my body. That was hard to swallow and I know Joe and I both felt a little angry and wondered why Heavenly Father would want to limit us. But after taking myself away from the situation and realizing that everything happens for a reason and that it wasn't my fault I'm able to be grateful for the two little ones I do have. We sure love you guys and think about you a lot. I didn't write this to try to compare myself to your situation in anyway because I can't even imagine the pain that you and Blue have gone through. Just that I know Heavenly Father loves you and Jackson. Your amazing Kelly, the Lord dosen't give us more than we can bare, your one strong chick!!!
Love you guys, Katie Hakes

Taylor and Stephanie Haught said...

Kelly, I love that poem! A perfect and beautiful representation of death. He may have left you on this earth but he is amongst others that you have lost and they will love him until you can be with him again.
He will forever watch over his brother and sister and give them strength to get through trials they will face in their own lives.
I hope that made some sense. Stay strong. We love you guys!

Jenn Comolli said...

Beautiful...

S. and A. Millar said...

Thanks for sharing that poem, it was really a nice to read! We will be home this weekend, having a yard sale.