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THE BRIDGE BUILDER
An old man going a lone highway
came at the evening, cold and gray,
to a chasm vast and wide and steep,
with waters rolling cold and deep.
The old man crossed in 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 your 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 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.
The chasm that was as 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."

- W.A. Dromgoole