Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO -- --, by BERNARD BARTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO -- --, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Our friendship, arthur, was not form'd
Last Line: Will do, as we have done, without them.
Alternate Author Name(s): Quaker Poet
Subject(s): Friendship


OUR friendship, Arthur, was not form'd,
As some have been, in boyhood's heat,
When feelings may be chill'd or warm'd
By any specious counterfeit.

We met not until both had past
The inexperienc'd flush of youth;
And learnt, as all may do, at last,
The worth of confidence and truth.

We ask'd no pledge, nor ought profess'd,
Each knew he had no selfish ends;
And time, the most unerring test
Of every tie, has made us friends.

Long may we be so! One event,
Which friendship views with jealous eye,
(Sometimes from selfish discontent)
Has but the more endear'd our tie.

How should it have been otherwise?
No groundless hopes my bosom warm'd,
A heart, whose love thy own would prize,
I well might guess for friendship form'd.

And I have liv'd to see thee prove
The purest joys that life can lend;
Yet never found thee made by love
Less worthy of the name of friend.

Farewell! I give no thanks to thee,
Or thine; though surely few would doubt them,
And some might look for them; but we
Will do, as we have done, without them.





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