Time Is Too Slow for Those Who Wait; Too Swift for Those Who Fear
Time is Too Slow for those who Wait, Source Too Swift for those who Fear, Too Long for those who Grieve, Too Short for those who Rejoice; But for those who Love, Time is Eternity.
These beautiful words appear frequently across social media platforms. Henry van Dyke – Princeton University They capture something profound about human experience. Many people believe William Shakespeare wrote them. However, this attribution is completely wrong.
The Real Author Behind the Words
Dr. Henry van Dyke created these verses, not Shakespeare. Source Van Dyke was an American writer who lived from 1852 to 1933. He served as a Presbyterian minister, professor, and diplomat. Additionally, he wrote poetry that touched readers’ hearts .
The poem originated as a personal gift. Van Dyke wrote it for his friend Katrina Trask. She was also a poet who maintained elaborate gardens. This gesture of friendship would eventually reach millions of people.
A Sundial’s Story
The verses first appeared on a sundial in Trask’s garden. Alice Morse Earle documented this in her 1901 book about gardens. She described the inscriptions as exceptional examples of English language artistry. Furthermore, she praised van Dyke’s ability to create lasting beauty with few words.
The sundial actually featured two poems. The first ran around the dial’s outer edge. It read simply:
“Hours fly,
Flowers die,
New Days,
New Ways,
Pass by;
Love stays.”
Meanwhile, the second poem sat at the gnomon’s base. This piece contained the famous lines about time’s different speeds. The gnomon is the part that casts shadows to show time.
How the Words Spread
Literary journals helped spread van Dyke’s work. “The Dial” magazine published both poems in December 1901. This gave them broader circulation among educated readers. Subsequently, Earle released another book in 1902 featuring the sundial.
By 1903, quotation collections started including the verses. Alfred H. Hyatt’s “A Book of Sundial Mottoes” featured the poem. However, it listed no author. This omission would contribute to later confusion.
Van Dyke’s Own Version
In 1904, van Dyke published his poetry collection. He titled the piece “Katrina’s Sun-Dial.” Interestingly, he made one significant change. The final line became “Time is not” instead of “Time is Eternity.”
This alteration creates a different philosophical meaning. The new ending suggests time disappears for lovers. It ceases to exist as a meaningful concept. Conversely, the original version made time infinite for those experiencing love.
The Attribution Problem
Quotation books handled the attribution inconsistently. H. L. Mencken’s 1942 dictionary listed the source as anonymous. He claimed it came from a sundial at the University of Virginia. This reference remains puzzling and possibly incorrect.
Fortunately, Burton Stevenson’s 1949 quotation book got it right. He properly credited van Dyke’s “Katrina’s Sun-Dial.” This shows careful scholarship could trace the true origins. Nevertheless, the confusion persisted in popular culture.
A Princess and Global Fame
The poem gained massive public attention in 1997. Princess Diana’s funeral included a reading of the verses. Her sister Lady Jane Fellowes read the “Time is Eternity” version. Millions of people around the world heard these words.
The ceremony didn’t mention the author’s name. Consequently, many viewers wondered about the poem’s origins. This high-profile moment introduced van Dyke’s work to a new generation. Yet it also perpetuated the attribution mystery.
Modern Misattributions
False attributions continue appearing in print. A 2013 devotional book credited the poem to Shakespeare. Moreover, the text used altered vocabulary. “Fear” became “are scared.” “Grieve” changed to “lament.” “Rejoice” transformed into “celebrate.”
These modifications suggest faulty memory or deliberate rephrasing. Either way, they compound the attribution error. The changes make the poem harder to trace to its true source.
Why Shakespeare Gets the Credit
Several factors explain the Shakespeare misattribution. First, the language sounds somewhat Elizabethan. The formal structure resembles Renaissance poetry. Additionally, Shakespeare’s name carries immense cultural weight.
People often attribute beautiful anonymous quotes to famous authors. Shakespeare receives this treatment more than most. His reputation makes him a magnet for orphaned verses. Indeed, countless poems falsely bear his name.
The Power of Emotional Truth
The poem resonates because it captures universal experiences. Everyone has felt time drag during waiting. We’ve all experienced how fear makes moments race. Grief stretches minutes into eternities. Joy compresses hours into seconds.
Love’s relationship with time feels especially profound. When we love deeply, temporal boundaries seem to dissolve. Past and future merge into an eternal present. Van Dyke understood this psychological truth perfectly.
Lessons About Quotation Culture
This story teaches important lessons about how quotes spread. Social media accelerates the process today. A misattributed quote can reach millions within hours. Therefore, false information becomes harder to correct.
Verifying quotations requires careful research. Primary sources matter more than popular belief. Just because something appears widely doesn’t make it accurate. Critical thinking remains essential in the digital age.
Honoring the True Author
Henry van Dyke deserves recognition for his beautiful creation. He crafted verses that have touched countless hearts. His words about love and time remain powerful today. Furthermore, his gift to a friend became a gift to the world.
Van Dyke wrote many other works during his lifetime. He published novels, short stories, and essays. His story “The Other Wise Man” became particularly beloved. Yet these sundial verses may be his most widely known creation.
The Enduring Appeal
Why do these lines continue resonating over a century later? They speak to fundamental human experiences. Time perception changes based on our emotional states. This isn’t just poetic fancy—it reflects psychological reality.
Research confirms that emotions affect time perception. Anxiety makes time feel slower. Pleasant experiences seem to pass quickly. Van Dyke captured this truth with elegant simplicity. His verses distill complex psychology into memorable lines.
Preserving Literary Accuracy
Correct attribution matters for several reasons. First, it honors the actual creator’s work. Authors deserve credit for their creations. Second, it maintains historical accuracy. False attributions distort our cultural record.
Finally, proper attribution helps readers find related works. Someone who loves these verses might enjoy van Dyke’s other poetry. Misattribution to Shakespeare prevents this discovery. It disconnects the work from its true context.
Conclusion: Truth and Beauty
The sundial verses remain beautiful regardless of authorship. Their emotional truth transcends any single name. However, accuracy matters when we share cultural treasures. Henry van Dyke created these words as a gift of friendship.
That origin story adds depth to their meaning. They emerged from genuine affection between two poets. They graced a garden sundial, marking time’s passage with wisdom. Subsequently, they traveled through books, ceremonies, and digital spaces.
Today, we can appreciate both their beauty and their true history. We can share them accurately, crediting their actual author. In doing so, we honor van Dyke’s legacy. We also maintain our collective cultural memory with integrity.
Next time you encounter these verses, remember their real story. Think of an American poet creating a gift for a friend. Consider a sundial in a garden, casting shadows while bearing profound words. Ultimately, the truth behind beautiful words makes them even more meaningful.