I love the preface written for this particular book of poetry. It claims to have a poem for each season and every occasion. I looked over the poems…thought about them…the one that speaks to me today is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson, A Farewell. A former student of mine has passed away…he was an avid fisherman…loved the outdoors…he was a young man. My heart is broken for his family and his friends. Following, the composition based on Tennyson’s words.
When I drove my son down to the park last night, looking for Patrick’s brother…a tall buck was standing right in the middle of the road and a doe nuzzled snow just off to the side. Noticing us, in just a few long strides, the buck gracefully vanished, along with its partner, into the night. In some mysterious way, I thought, “How appropriate that these two beautiful creatures…so stately…would come up from Fish Creek Park tonight.” Patrick, may you rest in eternal peace.
A Farewell
Flow down, cold rivulet, to the sea,
Thy tribute wave deliver:
No more by thee my steps shall be,
For ever and for ever.
Flow, softly flow, by lawn and lea,
A rivulet then a river:
Nowhere by thee my steps shall be
For ever and for ever.
But here will sigh thine alder tree
And here thine aspen shiver;
And here by thee will hum the bee,
For ever and for ever.
A thousand suns will stream on thee,
A thousand moons will quiver;
But not by thee my steps shall be,
For ever and for ever.
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