101 Poems, Number 8

Favorite Poems Throughout My Life

8: “Crossing the Bar,” 1889, by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–92)

I heard this first in ’63—

My great-grandfather died that year.*

And for his service, finally,

The preacher read this. To my ear—

So long ago—I didn’t care

For what I heard. Seemed trite, I guess.

But as my years have come to wear

On me, I’ve come to reassess

So many things. I’ve memorized

This poem. Several times a week

I mumble it—it’s vaporized

My youth’s disdain with words unique.

*Warren A. Lanterman (1866–1963)

Link to poem.