Waves and Seconds by Linda Ellis
copyright 2011 Linda Ellis
The waves are like seconds;
they come in and they leave.
They tease and they taunt
and they try to deceive.
Steadfast, they move
through our lives like a thief,
stealing time as we live
through our joys, through our grief.
With purpose and practice,
their music, sublime;
two instruments in unison
play the song of all time.
Propelled by the earth,
they are predictably here…
and before we can stop them,
they just disappear.
Forced to move forward
through dusk and through dawn,
suddenly, they exist…
and forever, they’re gone.
We take them for granted,
innocent and unwary,
until we finally realize
they are each temporary.
Before and after our presence,
they have, and will be, repeating.
For they are the constants,
and we are the fleeting.
Intangible, one;
the other, we touch…
yet neither sustained
by our hand’s tightest clutch.
For they merge with infinity
and continue their duty;
one dancing with oceans…
one bringing life, beauty.
The waves are like seconds
moving into each day…
like moments, they’re here;
then they just go away.
Dear Linda,
My very good friend recently passed. A few years ago she gave me your poem “Live your Dash”. I changed my life because of my friend and your poem. I read it at her “Celebration of Life” and I believe it made people think.
Thank you,
Judy
Hi,
I was introduced to your poem by my boyfriend. My 3 month 10 day old infant son passed away on February 28th, 2011 from SIDS. I have not been able to come to any terms with his death. I did live, go to work, take care of my other living children, but life was not the same. I had made a promise to by my son the night before he died, that I was going to change everything and I would be happy, he would be happy. He is happy, in my heart I know. I was unhappy, miserable, just plain awful. Your poem showed me the light I needed to see so bad. Although my son’s dash was short, very very short, I will continue to make my dash better than it ever would have been to show my son how much his meant to me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and soul..
Just went to a girlfriends funeral. She picked out The Dash to be read. It gave me pause for thought. Today is a new day. Thank-you for your poem
Thanks for sharing your thoughts in such a meaningful way. I had used “The Dash” at my husbands funeral two years ago…many were challenged and touched by it.
Just found your site…I work with older folk and am preparing a “Celebration of Life” program for them, and those who have left us. Again, thank you!!!
Hello,
thanks for “The Dash”, what a news to my heart and soul, when I was 8 grade student, I saw a little gorgeous girl, her name was Dasha, this is russian fame name, so I conceive with the dream that some day, I’l be married and have a daughter, her name will be Dasha, that what happend 7 years later, I nurtured one of the precious gift on this planet, her name Dasha Tikhomirova, her friends often call her Dash and believe me she is, she has amasing spirit, what ever she is doing, radiance and beauty flowing thrue her, right now she is 19, college student, hard worker, Love God!! I’l do my best to introduce her to your awesome ministry, thank you again for blessings. In His Love and Presence,
Larisa, Dasha’s mother.
My son Nathan died suddenly 2 weeks ago. The poem “Dash” so fits the way I feel. Thank you.
Hi Linda,
I love your poems – they say what I feel! I quite often end up in conversations about them, then go for a link to show someone what I’m talking about.
Yesterday, when I went looking for a link to your poems, there were many pages that came up with my search criteria, which disappointed me because they weren’t your pages. By last night, I stopped flipping through google pages when I got to twelve pages, that included everything from self help pages to funeral pages.
I was astonished that so many people would use your poem(s) to boost their own pages in the search and increase their incomes. It disturbs me to think that these people don’t use their creativity, with their own products, for the growth of their businesses.
I’m so sorry that you have to endure such insult from these unscrupulous mongers. Personally, I will not purchase from anyone who uses your poem to draw traffic to their business. If they are dishonest in this way, I don’t trust them in any way.
Thank you for writing what is in my heart and for inspiring me to go forward with my dreams. Your words mean worlds to me.
Yours in friendship
Heatheranne
“before we can stop them they just disappear”
“…they are the constants and we are the fleeting”
I never thought of waves like this – I love it!!
Linda,
I love this poem and all of your writings. You have an amazing talent. Thanks for the inspiration that you give to me and so many others.
John