Wednesday, February 1, 2023

THE CHILD IN THE GARDEN

 


The Child In The Garden 

When to the garden of untroubled thought
I came of late, and saw the open door,
And wished again to enter, and explore
The sweet, wild ways with stainless bloom inwrought,
And bowers of innocence with beauty fraught,
It seemed some purer voice must speak before
I dared to tread that garden loved of yore,
That Eden lost unknown and found unsought.

Then just within the gate I saw a child -
A stranger-child, yet to my heart most dear;
He held his hands to me, and softly smiled
With eyes that knew no shade of sin or fear:
"Come in," he said, "and play awhile with me;
"I am the little child you used to be."

by 






Henry Van Dyke (11/10/52 - 4/10/33)
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the son of Henry Jackson van Dyke Sr. (1822 - 1891), a prominent Brooklyn Presbyterian clergyman known in the antebellum years for his anti-abolitionist views. The family traced its roots to Jan Thomasse van Dijk, who emigrated from Holland to North America in 1652.  You can read more if you click on his name underneath the poem.



34 comments:

  1. Lovely - and not a poem or poet I knew. Thank you.

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  2. Sweet poem and I love the picture as well.

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    1. Thank you Ann, happy you enjoyed both poem and picture :)

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  3. My inner child!! I am lovin' this!!!!

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  4. Hello,
    I love the poem and your artsy image. Take care, have a great day!

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  5. I like my inner child that I am now much better than the one I was as a child. beautiful poem and love the art garden.

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  6. What a sweet poem. I just found my copy of VanDyke's "The Story of the Other Wise Man." I think the same Van Dyke!

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    1. How wonderful! I'll have to look out for that book. Thank you Jeanie :)

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  7. Love the poem...sweet.
    hugs
    Donna

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    1. Great, so glad, thank you Donna, hugs from me too :)

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  8. I LIKE THE SUPRISE ENDING TO THIS POEM.

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  9. This gave me goosebumps!!!! And it pairs so well with your photo.

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    1. Wonderful, you must have enjoyed it. Thank Ginny :)

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  10. Such a thoughtful poem, thanks for sharing Denise!

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    1. You are very welcome Christine, happy you enjoyed :)

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  11. Replies
    1. Happy you thought so, I am happy I found it. Thanks William :)

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  12. The cartoon conversion looks fantastic. So is another beautifully written poem

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    1. Thank you Roentare, so glad you enjoyed both :)

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  13. Replies
    1. My exact thought when I found it, thanks Carol :)

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  14. Thank you for sharing this lovely poem and picture.

    All the best Jan

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    1. You are very welcome Jan and am always happy that you enjoy :) All the best to you too.

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  15. Replies
    1. Back from your trip? I'll be over soon! Great to see you Margaret and thank you :)

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  16. Love both the poem and the picture.
    Hugs and blessings, Denise.

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    1. Thank you Veronica Lee, and I wish you the same :)

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  17. This is a special poem, Denise. I really enjoyed reading it. If only we went to our gardens and frolicked around like a child does, how sweet that would be. Wishing you blessed days in February.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Thank you Sheri, it is a lovely poem, and I thought my blogging friends would enjoy it. So happy you do :) Yes, if only! I wish you the same blessed days my friend.

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