Poem by Henry David Thoreau

Friendship

I think awhile of Love, and while I think,
        Love is to me a world,
        Sole meat and sweetest drink,
        And close connecting link
            Tween heaven and earth.

I only know it is, not how or why,
        My greatest happiness;
        However hard I try,
        Not if I were to die,
            Can I explain.

I fain would ask my friend how it can be,
        But when the time arrives,
        Then Love is more lovely
        Than anything to me,
            And so I'm dumb.

For if the truth were known, Love cannot speak,
        But only thinks and does;
        Though surely out 'twill leak
        Without the help of Greek,
            Or any tongue.

A man may love the truth and practise it,
        Beauty he may admire,
        And goodness not omit,
        As much as may befit
            To reverence.

But only when these three together meet,
        As they always incline,
        And make one soul the seat,
        And favorite retreat,
            Of loveliness;

When under kindred shape, like loves and hates
        And a kindred nature,
        Proclaim us to be mates,
        Exposed to equal fates
            Eternally;

And each may other help, and service do,
        Drawing Love's bands more tight,
        Service he ne'er shall rue
        While one and one make two,
            And two are one;

In such case only doth man fully prove
        Fully as man can do,
        What power there is in Love
        His inmost soul to move
            Resistlessly.

              * * * * *

Two sturdy oaks I mean, which side by side,
        Withstand the winter's storm,
        And spite of wind and tide,
        Grow up the meadow's pride,
            For both are strong

Above they barely touch, but undermined
        Down to their deepest source,
        Admiring you shall find
        Their roots are intertwined
            Insep'rably.

1. Let Such Pure Hate Still Underprop
2. On Fields Oer Which the Reaper's Hand Has Passd
3. What's the Railroad to Me?
4. The Inward Morning
5. Indeed Indeed, I Cannot Tell

Ella Wilcox Friendship ("Dear friend, I pray thee, if thou wouldst be proving")

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