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.