The Puzzle of "Ships that Pass in the Night"
The Puzzle of "Ships that Pass in the Night"
Have you ever heard the phrase "ships that pass in the night" and wondered where it came from? The origin of this poetic expression can be traced back to the American writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
In his poem "The Theologian's Tale: Elizabeth," Longfellow wrote the famous lines:
Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing,
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;
So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another,
Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.
These poignant words capture the fleeting nature of human connections and the missed opportunities for deeper relationships. The metaphor of ships passing in the night has since become a common expression to describe chance encounters or brief interactions that leave a lasting impact.
So, the next time you hear someone mention "ships that pass in the night," you can impress them with your knowledge of its literary origins in Longfellow's poetry.