FRIENDSHIP
OFriendship! On life’s crown the pearlAmidst its jewels rare,A star for peasant or for earlThe other gems whate’er—Be diamond on the kingly browOr garnet dull on toil,The hearted radiance art thou,Of noblest might or moil.But ah, to only value theeAs treasure of desireFor peerlessness of purityWe gain to but admire;And not to feel thy inner worthAs stuff of primal deeps,Some miracle of troubled birthWhere lowly nature creeps!Is this, O Friendship, worthy ofThe praises of the Muse,Of life so lightly prone to loveBut fire to refuse?If only in our hand we holdAnother’s sacrificeAnd give it back no gift of gold,’Tis not the Pearl of Price.
OFriendship! On life’s crown the pearlAmidst its jewels rare,A star for peasant or for earlThe other gems whate’er—Be diamond on the kingly browOr garnet dull on toil,The hearted radiance art thou,Of noblest might or moil.But ah, to only value theeAs treasure of desireFor peerlessness of purityWe gain to but admire;And not to feel thy inner worthAs stuff of primal deeps,Some miracle of troubled birthWhere lowly nature creeps!Is this, O Friendship, worthy ofThe praises of the Muse,Of life so lightly prone to loveBut fire to refuse?If only in our hand we holdAnother’s sacrificeAnd give it back no gift of gold,’Tis not the Pearl of Price.
OFriendship! On life’s crown the pearlAmidst its jewels rare,A star for peasant or for earlThe other gems whate’er—Be diamond on the kingly browOr garnet dull on toil,The hearted radiance art thou,Of noblest might or moil.
OFriendship! On life’s crown the pearl
Amidst its jewels rare,
A star for peasant or for earl
The other gems whate’er—
Be diamond on the kingly brow
Or garnet dull on toil,
The hearted radiance art thou,
Of noblest might or moil.
But ah, to only value theeAs treasure of desireFor peerlessness of purityWe gain to but admire;And not to feel thy inner worthAs stuff of primal deeps,Some miracle of troubled birthWhere lowly nature creeps!
But ah, to only value thee
As treasure of desire
For peerlessness of purity
We gain to but admire;
And not to feel thy inner worth
As stuff of primal deeps,
Some miracle of troubled birth
Where lowly nature creeps!
Is this, O Friendship, worthy ofThe praises of the Muse,Of life so lightly prone to loveBut fire to refuse?If only in our hand we holdAnother’s sacrificeAnd give it back no gift of gold,’Tis not the Pearl of Price.
Is this, O Friendship, worthy of
The praises of the Muse,
Of life so lightly prone to love
But fire to refuse?
If only in our hand we hold
Another’s sacrifice
And give it back no gift of gold,
’Tis not the Pearl of Price.