A FRIEND
By Lionel Johnson
All, that he came to give,He gave, and went again:I have seen one man live,I have seen one man reign,With all the graces in his train.As one of us, he wroughtThings of the common hour:Whence was the charmed soul brought,That gave each act such power;The natural beauty of a flower?Magnificence and grace,Excellent courtesy:A brightness on the face,Airs of high memory:Whence came all these, to such as he?Like young Shakespearian kings,He won the adoring throng:And, as Apollo sings,He triumphed with a song:Triumphed, and sang, and passed along.With a light word he tookThe hearts of men in thrall:And, with a golden look,Welcomed them, at his callGiving their love, their strength, their all.
All, that he came to give,He gave, and went again:I have seen one man live,I have seen one man reign,With all the graces in his train.As one of us, he wroughtThings of the common hour:Whence was the charmed soul brought,That gave each act such power;The natural beauty of a flower?Magnificence and grace,Excellent courtesy:A brightness on the face,Airs of high memory:Whence came all these, to such as he?Like young Shakespearian kings,He won the adoring throng:And, as Apollo sings,He triumphed with a song:Triumphed, and sang, and passed along.With a light word he tookThe hearts of men in thrall:And, with a golden look,Welcomed them, at his callGiving their love, their strength, their all.
All, that he came to give,He gave, and went again:I have seen one man live,I have seen one man reign,With all the graces in his train.
All, that he came to give,
He gave, and went again:
I have seen one man live,
I have seen one man reign,
With all the graces in his train.
As one of us, he wroughtThings of the common hour:Whence was the charmed soul brought,That gave each act such power;The natural beauty of a flower?
As one of us, he wrought
Things of the common hour:
Whence was the charmed soul brought,
That gave each act such power;
The natural beauty of a flower?
Magnificence and grace,Excellent courtesy:A brightness on the face,Airs of high memory:Whence came all these, to such as he?
Magnificence and grace,
Excellent courtesy:
A brightness on the face,
Airs of high memory:
Whence came all these, to such as he?
Like young Shakespearian kings,He won the adoring throng:And, as Apollo sings,He triumphed with a song:Triumphed, and sang, and passed along.
Like young Shakespearian kings,
He won the adoring throng:
And, as Apollo sings,
He triumphed with a song:
Triumphed, and sang, and passed along.
With a light word he tookThe hearts of men in thrall:And, with a golden look,Welcomed them, at his callGiving their love, their strength, their all.
With a light word he took
The hearts of men in thrall:
And, with a golden look,
Welcomed them, at his call
Giving their love, their strength, their all.
No man less proud than he,Nor cared for homage less;Only, he could not beFar off from happiness:Nature was bound to his success.Weary, the cares, the jarsThe lets, of every day:But the heavens filled with stars,Chanced he upon the way:And where he stayed, all joy would stay.Now, when sad night draws down,When the austere stars burn:Roaming the vast stars burn:My thoughts and memories yearnToward him, who never will return.Yet I have seen him live,And owned my friend, a king:And that he came to give,He gave, and I, who singHis praise, bring all I have to bring.
No man less proud than he,Nor cared for homage less;Only, he could not beFar off from happiness:Nature was bound to his success.Weary, the cares, the jarsThe lets, of every day:But the heavens filled with stars,Chanced he upon the way:And where he stayed, all joy would stay.Now, when sad night draws down,When the austere stars burn:Roaming the vast stars burn:My thoughts and memories yearnToward him, who never will return.Yet I have seen him live,And owned my friend, a king:And that he came to give,He gave, and I, who singHis praise, bring all I have to bring.
No man less proud than he,Nor cared for homage less;Only, he could not beFar off from happiness:Nature was bound to his success.
No man less proud than he,
Nor cared for homage less;
Only, he could not be
Far off from happiness:
Nature was bound to his success.
Weary, the cares, the jarsThe lets, of every day:But the heavens filled with stars,Chanced he upon the way:And where he stayed, all joy would stay.
Weary, the cares, the jars
The lets, of every day:
But the heavens filled with stars,
Chanced he upon the way:
And where he stayed, all joy would stay.
Now, when sad night draws down,When the austere stars burn:Roaming the vast stars burn:My thoughts and memories yearnToward him, who never will return.
Now, when sad night draws down,
When the austere stars burn:
Roaming the vast stars burn:
My thoughts and memories yearn
Toward him, who never will return.
Yet I have seen him live,And owned my friend, a king:And that he came to give,He gave, and I, who singHis praise, bring all I have to bring.
Yet I have seen him live,
And owned my friend, a king:
And that he came to give,
He gave, and I, who sing
His praise, bring all I have to bring.