©1993 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Standard

A ship fades from our view, we wave good-bye.
Her sails grow small, then vanish from the sky.
And sorrowing, we bow our heads, and then
we mourn that sight we long to see again.
But others wait on some shore far away,
and watch the lonely clouds, day after day;
till finally, they see a shimmering light,
reflection of that sail gone from our sight.
And as that ship sails in, their joy does grow,
just as ours did when we first saw her glow,
reflected by the sun against the sky,
its beauty speaking peace to every eye.
For this is truth, that though gone from our view
the ship sails on, her glory seen anew;
just as one day our own ships will depart,
for so the voyage goes, from start to start.