Building Bridges

WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE, 1860 TO 1934. She wrote over 7,500 poems and 5,000 essays. Her works are recorded in 13 books. My Dad, Wade M. Hughes (1931) committed this poem to memory and would often use it when speaking to leaders. I love this poem.

***THE BRIDGE BUILDER

AN OLD MAN, GOING DOWN A LONE HIGHWAY CAME AT THE EVENING, COLD AND GRAY.

TO A CHASM VAST AND WIDE, THROUGH WHICH WAS FLOWING A SWOLLEN TIDE.

THE OLD MAN CROSSED IN THE TWILIGHT DIM, THE SWOLLEN TIDE 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 YOUR STRENGTH IN BUILDING HERE,

YOUR JOURNEY WILL END WITH THE CLOSING OF THE DAY, YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN PASS THIS WAY.

YOU HAVE CROSSED THE CHASM DEEP AND WIDE, WHY BUILD YOU THIS BRIDGE AT EVENING TIDE.”

THE BUILDER LIFTED HIS OLD, GRAY HEAD: “GOOD FRIEND, IN THE PATH THAT I HAVE COME”

HE SAID, “THERE FOLLOWED AFTER ME TODAY, A FAIR HAIRED YOUTH,

WHOSE FEET MUST PASS THIS WAY, THE 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 THIS BRIDGE FOR HIM.