A Health to Mark Twain

At his Birthday Feast

With memories old and wishes new

We crown our cups again,

And here's to you, and here's to you

With love that ne'er shall wane!

And may you keep, at sixty-seven,

The joy of earth, the hope of heaven,

And fame well-earned, and friendship true,

And peace that comforts every pain,

And faith that fights the battle through,

And all your heart's unbounded wealth,

And

A Prison gets to be a friend

A Prison gets to be a friend --Between its Ponderous faceAnd Ours -- a Kinsmanship express --And in its narrow Eyes --We come to look with gratitudeFor the appointed BeamIt deal us -- stated as our food --And hungered for -- the same --We learn to know the Planks --That answer to Our feet --So miserable a sound -- at first --Nor ever now -- so sweet --As plashing in the Pools --When Memory was a

Dear friends, we surely all agree

'Dear friends, we surely all agree
There's almost nothing worse to see
Than some repulsive little bum
Who's always chewing chewing gum.
(It's very near as bad as those
Who sit around and pick the nose).
So please believe us when we say
That chewing gum will never pay;
This sticky habit's bound to send
The chewer to a sticky end.
Did any of you ever know
A person called Miss Bigelow?
This dreadful

Stanzas to a Friend

AH! think no more that Life's delusive joys,Can charm my thoughts from FRIENDSHIP'S dearer claim;Or wound a heart, that scarce a wish employs,For age to censure, or discretion blame. Tir'd of the world, my weary mind recoilsFrom splendid scenes, and transitory joys;From fell Ambition's false and fruitless toils,From hope that flatters, and from bliss that cloys. With THEE, above the taunts of

Friendships Mystery, To My Dearest Lucasia

Come, my Lucasia, since we see That miracles Men's Faith do move,By wonder and by prodigyTo the dull angry World let's proveThere's a Religion in our Love. For Though we were design'd t'agree,That Fate no liberty destroys,But our Election is as freeAs Angels, who with greedy choiceAre yet determin'd to their joys. Our hearts are doubled by the loss,Here Mixture is Addition grown;We both diffuse,

Friendship After Love

After the fierce midsummer all ablazeHas burned itself to ashes, and expiresIn the intensity of its own fires, There come the mellow, mild, St. Martin daysCrowned with the calm of peace, but sad with haze.So after Love has led us, till he tiresOf his own throes, and torments, and desires, Comes large-eyed Friendship: with a restful gaze.He beckons us to follow, and acrossCool verdant vales we

Dear Friend

When to the session of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past, I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste: Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, For precious friends hid in death's dateless night, And weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe, And moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight: Then can I grieve at grievances

Glory of Friendship

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.

The Heart of a Friend

I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew, the sight Could not follow it in its flight. I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke; And the song, from beginning to end, I found again

A Friend Like You

There's lots of thingsWith which I'm blessed,Tho' my life's been both Sunny and Blue,But of all my blessings,This one's the best:To have a friend like you.In times of troubleFriends will say, "Just ask... I'll help you through it."But you don't wait for me to ask,You just get up And you do it!And I can think Of nothing in life That I could more wisely do,Than know a friend,And be a friend, And