Victor Hugo

[dot.hawkes]

The Vicar at my Aunt's funeral read a poem by I think, Victor Hugo, i've searched for it online and in my litarature books but can't see it, it was an alegory I think, about a ship disapearing over the horizon and being lost to the sight of the watcher on the shore, but being a welcome sight for the person waiting on the other shore. Anyone know the one I mean? (mind you that Vicar\ had obviously studied literature and theology because he was quoting allsorts and so i may be wrong that it was Hugo lol)

[kempie]

Parable of immortality ( A ship leaves ...) by Henry Van Dyke?

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 peck 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!'

[dot.hawkes]

aye that's the one!!! that's what set me off, it was very appropriate. thanks kempie.

[shaneystar2]

Is it ....
Parable of immortality ( A ship leaves etc . . . )
by Henry Van Dyke

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 until at last 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 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 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 goes! there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

[kempie]

There seems to be some confusion as to who should be attributed as the author of this poem, although the oft repeated claim that it originates from Victor Hugo's novel "Toilers of the Sea" appears to be incorrect...

http://www.gavroche.org/vhugo/toilersdeath.sht ml

[dot.hawkes]

ahhhh, that makes sense then, as the Vicar definately mentioned Hugo and definately did not mention Van Dyke, cheers, I can be scatty but not to that extent!!!!

[society]

Hi Dot, I remember a while back you had posted about your ill aunt. If you posted about her passing I�m sorry I missed it. My deepest sympathies and condolences; your aunt was very lucky to have you a wonderful and caring niece in her life. She will always be with you, in your heart. God bless xx

[RichTodd]

Craig Fergeson, on the CBS Late Late Show, read this poem on air the night of December 8. 2008. The poem was read at his mother's funeral during the previous week. I, also, went searching (unsuccessfully) for this poem, which led me to your question.

[RichTodd]

Yes, the poem Craig Fergeson read was, in fact, the Parable of Immortality; he attributed it to Victor Hugo.

[Lakey01]

This is not the poem that you were looking for, I'm sure of it. I too had a reading from a Victor when my father passed and have been looking for it under Victor Hugo. I cannot find it but remember clearly that the poem had the words "death" and "horizon" in it. I think is is this one instead: http://www.verses4car...k/funeral-poems.html.

"A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says
She is gone.

Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large now as when I last saw her.Her diminished size and total loss from my sight is in me, not in her.

And just at that moment, when someone at my side says she is gone, there are others who are watching her coming over their horizon and other voices take up a glad shout -There she comes!

That is what dying is.
An horizon and just the limit of our sight.

Lift us up O Lord, that we may see further."