Infants Remembered In Silence (IRIS) - Poems

Only A Baby

By Rev. Forest V. Strnad

‘Twas only a baby,
Born out of time,
To an expectant home
Filled with love sublime.

They sought him,
Planned for him,
Looked forward with glee,
To a bouncing new baby,
To hold on their knee.

A baby is precious,
In any family,
Especially when longed for,
And planned for with Thee.

These parents seek thy help,
O God in their plight,
While this baby’s wee spirit,
Slipped away in the night.

So we trust thee, O God,
For Thy infinite Grace,
As we look to the Light,
That shines out from Thy face.

I have used this change for a baby girl:

‘Twas only a baby,
Born out of time,
To an expectant home,
She was filled with love divine.

I used this change, too, which I like better:

These parents sought Thy help,
O God, in their plight,
While their baby’s wee spirit,
Slipped away, in the night.

Rev. Strnad’s Variations include:

For a baby girl:

‘Twas only a baby,
Born out of time,
To an expectant home,
She was filled with love divine.

For time:

These parents sought Thy help,
O God, in their plight,
While their baby’s wee spirit,
Slipped away in the night.

This poem was written by Rev. Forest V. Strnad, Alden, Minnesota, February 16, 1956 to honor Timothy Edward Guenther, Alden, Minnesota. He was born February 7, 1956 and died February 8, 1956. He was buried in the Alden cemetery. He was the son of Robert Jerome Guenther and Betty Ann Walk Guenther. They were married by me at the Alden Methodist Church, September 26, 1952.

This poem has been read at the following memorial services:
Baby Ayer, Chatfield, MN b. 4-4-1951 - committal service only at cemetery.
Timothy Guenther, Alden, MN b. 2-7-1956 Lived 2-7-1956 - 2-8-1956
William Max Hoag b. 12-7-1962 Chisholm, MN Lived 12-7-1962 - 12-9-1962
Wendy Dicklick, Chisholm, MN Committal service 10-5-1965 Lived only 3-4 hours
Wesley David Clark, Jordan, MN b. 5-1-1985 Lived 5-1-1985 - 5-3-1985 Memorial Service 5-7-1985 ( Grandson to Rev. Forest Strnad)

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