The Bridge Builder

I have posted this is the past, but it seems like something that should be considered as we start this new year. I first heard this recited in 1943, in the chapel of the Great Lakes Navy Training Center in Chicago. My brother was enrolled in a V-12 program there,and we went up for a weekend visit. The Chaplain used it in his sermon. Also that Sunday, we had listened to a banjo player, Eddie Peabody, for many years on the radio, and he was also stationed there and played during the service. Have never forgotten the weekend or the poem. Makes one wonder, what are we, today, building for our children, grand children, and great grandchildren?

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

I have published this before, but recently have had a few requests to see it again. In 1943, Mom and Dad and I drove to Chicago, Illinois, to go to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, to see my Brother who was in training there in a V-12 program. While there, we attended a Sunday Morning church service in the chapel. I remember that Eddy Peabody, the banjo king that we had heard on the radio many times played during the service, and the chaplain ended the service with this poem. Have never forgotten the experience. Here is that poem ........ and, many years later we returned to see our son Brad graduate from boot camp.

The Bridge Builder
by Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.


The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.


"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"


The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.


This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

The Bridge Builder

The Bridge BuilderAn old man, going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

The Bridge Builder

I have printed this before, it always comes to mind around the holiday season. The first time I heard it was 1943, my Brother was in the Navy at Great Lakes in Chicago. We drove up from Ohio to see him. We went to a Sunday Morning church service while there. I remember Eddy Peabody, the Banjo King, was there, and played some hymns on his banjo. The Chaplain used this poem in his sermon. I was only 11, and was awed by the whole visit. Probably the only sermon I actually remember.
The Bridge Builder

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide --
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Will Allen Dromgoole

The Bridge Builder

I was asked to post this again ... one of my favorites. I first heard it back in the mid 40's, probably 1944 at the Great Lakes Naval Station in Chicago. We were visiting my Brother Dean Shannon Dooley, who had graduated from DePauw University, and was going through a V-12 Program at Great Lakes. This poem was a part of the Sermon delivered by the Chaplain that Sunday morning. We also heard Eddy Peabody, the Banjo King play at the service.

THE BRIDGE BUILDER


An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim-
That sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when he reached the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength in building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

-WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE