Many people search for Gone from My Sight after losing someone or while preparing for a service. It is one of the most shared funeral poems and uses a ship moving toward the horizon to explain death calmly and gently. The poem has been passed on for more than a century because it offers steady comfort.
The ship comparison helps people make sense of loss. It suggests that the person is not gone but simply moved out of view. This idea can bring a small sense of peace during painful moments and help many families feel less alone while they grieve.
Here you will find the full poem along with a clear explanation of its meaning. Many have relied on these words for support, and they may help you or someone close to you during a difficult time.
The Full Text of Gone from My Sight
Here’s the complete poem that has comforted millions at funerals. Let me show you the full text before we break down what it means.
Complete Poem
This poem is in the public domain. You can read it, share it, or use it at a funeral service. Many people know it by heart.
Gone from My Sight
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone.”
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” other eyes are watching her coming, and other voices are ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
And that is dying…
The poem ends with those three simple words. “And that is dying…” It describes a ship sailing away until it disappears from view. Then it explains what that journey really means.
Who Wrote Gone from My Sight?
The authorship of this poem is confused. Most people get it wrong, but I’ll clear it up for you.
The Authorship Confusion
You’ll usually see this credited to Henry Van Dyke. That’s not correct. The actual author was Rev. Luther F. Beecher, who lived from 1813 to 1903.
Beecher was the cousin of two famous people: Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe. After Beecher died in 1904, three different publications credited the poem to him. Wikipedia confirms Beecher wrote it, not Van Dyke.
Why People Think Van Dyke Wrote It
A woman named Barbara Karnes published a booklet in 1985. She called it “Gone from My Sight” and listed Henry Van Dyke as the author. People call it the “little blue book.”
That booklet has sold over 12 million copies since 1985. It’s still in print today. Because so many people read her booklet, the Van Dyke name stuck. The confusion continues, but now you know the truth.
What the Poem Means
Now, let me walk you through what this poem is really saying. The ship metaphor works on multiple levels.
The Ship Metaphor Explained
The opening scene is simple. You’re standing on the seashore watching a ship sail away. The ship spreads its white sails and heads for the ocean.
The poem calls the ship an “object of beauty and strength.” It gradually becomes smaller as it sails farther away. Eventually, it’s just a speck where the sea and sky meet. Then someone beside you says, “There, she is gone.”
The Key Question: Gone Where?
The speaker immediately asks: “Gone where?” This is the turning point of the entire poem. The answer changes everything.
“Gone from my sight. That is all.” The ship hasn’t changed one bit. It’s still the same size in its mast, hull, and spar. It can still carry its load to its destination. Here’s the crucial line: “Her diminished size is in me, not in her.”
The Other Shore
At the exact moment someone says “she is gone”, something else is happening. Other eyes are watching for the ship’s arrival. Other voices are ready to shout, “Here she comes!”
The ship is arriving at a new destination while leaving the old one. The final line ties it all together: “And that is dying…” Death is the ship reaching the other shore.
What This Means About Death
This poem says death is not an ending but a transition. The person who died hasn’t ceased to exist. They’ve just moved beyond our sight to another place.
The person remains unchanged, just elsewhere. Our perception changes, not their reality. The ship doesn’t shrink or break apart, and neither do people who die.
Breaking Down the Key Lines
Three lines in this poem carry the deepest meaning. Let me explain each one.
“Her diminished size is in me, not in her”
This is the most important line in the entire poem. It explains everything about the ship metaphor and what it means for death.
The ship looks smaller because of the distance. It hasn’t actually shrunk. Our limited perspective makes it seem to disappear. The same applies to death. It’s our limitation, not theirs. The person who died remains complete and whole.
“Other eyes watching her coming”
This line implies life continues after death. Someone waits on the other side. The ship that’s leaving one shore is arriving at another shore at the same moment.
This suggests heaven, an afterlife, or some form of continuation. Death is reunion with those who went before. This brings comfort about what happens next. Your loved one isn’t alone.
“And that is dying”
The final statement is beautifully simple. No elaborate explanation needed. No complex theology or philosophy. Just a plain fact.
Death is the ship arriving elsewhere. It’s not complex or frightening. It’s a natural transition from one place to another, like a ship completing its voyage.
Conclusion
The poem reminds you that the person you miss has not vanished. They have simply moved beyond where your eyes can reach. The calm image of a ship helps soften the sharpness of loss and gives you something gentle to hold in difficult moments.
Its most comforting line says that any sense of “less” comes from our side, not theirs. They remain whole, and as they leave your shore, they are welcomed with warmth somewhere else at that same instant.
Shared for more than a century, these words continue to steady people during grief. If they brought you even a small sense of peace, pass them on to someone who may need the same reassurance today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gone from My Sight poem about?
The poem uses a ship sailing away as a metaphor for death. It describes watching a ship disappear from view while others on the opposite shore watch it arrive. The message is that death is not an ending but a transition to another place.
Who wrote the Gone from My Sight poem?
Rev. Luther F. Beecher wrote Gone from My Sight between 1813 and 1903. However, it’s often wrongly attributed to Henry Van Dyke because Barbara Karnes’ popular booklet listed Van Dyke as the author. Her booklet has sold over 12 million copies since 1985.
What does “her diminished size is in me, not in her” mean?
This line means the ship only looks smaller because of the distance. It hasn’t actually changed. The same applies to death. The person remains whole and complete. Our limited perception makes them seem gone, but they’re unchanged, just beyond our sight.
Why is Gone from My Sight used at funerals?
This poem brings comfort by reframing death as a journey rather than an ending. It suggests loved ones continue to exist and are welcomed elsewhere. The peaceful ship imagery helps mourners imagine death as a natural transition, not a frightening disappearance.
What is the main message of Gone from My Sight?
The main message is that death is a transition, not an ending. The person who died hasn’t ceased to exist. They’ve just moved beyond our sight to another shore where others welcome them. Our perception changes, not their reality. They remain whole and complete.
