If All The Skies
Henry Van Dyke
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Background
Background
Henry Van Dyke was an American author, educator, diplomat, and clergyman. He served as a professor of English literature at Princeton from 1899 to 1923. Van Dyke was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 10, 1852 and died in Princeton, New Jersey on April 10, 1933.
Poem and Annotations
Poem and Annotations
If all the skies were sunshine,Our faces would be fainTo feel once more upon themThe cooling splash of rain.
If all the world were music,Our hearts would often longFor one sweet strain of silence,To break the endless song.
If life were always merry,Our souls would seek relief,And rest from weary laughterIn the quiet arms of grief.
If all the world were music,Our hearts would often longFor one sweet strain of silence,To break the endless song.
If life were always merry,Our souls would seek relief,And rest from weary laughterIn the quiet arms of grief.
Analysis
Analysis
"If All The Skies" is a poem about how perfection really isn't what people want. In the poem, Van Dyke presents scenarios that show that too much of a good thing can become overwhelming. People would not truly want there to never be a rainy day again, because rainy days have their moments and reasons for being. Some might say they would never want to experience silence or sadness again, but in truth, those somber moments are what make life whole. This lyric from a band called Switchfoot sums it up for me very well: "The shadow proves the sunshine." We cannot appreciate the blessings without also having the curses. When in a bad place, shifting ones perspective to focus on the good within the bad can make a world of difference. The tone of this poem is optimistic and enlightened.
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