Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IF YOU HAD A FRIEND, by ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IF YOU HAD A FRIEND, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: If you had a friend strong, simple, true
Last Line: You haven't? I wonder . . . What of god?
Subject(s): Bohemians; Friendship; Paris, France


IF you had a friend strong, simple, true,
Who knew your faults and who understood;
Who believed in the very best of you,
And who cared for you as a father would;
Who would stick by you to the very end,
Who would smile however the world might frown:
I'm sure you would try to please your friend,
You never would think to throw him down.

And supposing your friend was high and great,
And he lived in a palace rich and tall,
And sat like a King in shining state,
And his praise was loud on the lips of all;
Well then, when he turned to you alone,
And he singled you out from all the crowd,
And he called you up to his golden throne,
Oh, wouldn't you just be jolly proud?

If you had a friend like this, I say,
So sweet and tender, so strong and true,
You'd try to please him in every way,
You'd live at your bravest -- now, wouldn't you?
His worth would shine in the words you penned;
You'd shout his praises . . . yet now it's odd!
You tell me you haven't got such a friend;
You haven't? I wonder . . . What of God?





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