We Love but Few

Anonymous

OH, yes, we mean all kind words that we say

To old friends and to new;

Yet doth this truth grow clearer day by day:

We love but few.

We love! we love! What easy words to say,

And sweet to hear,

When sunrise splendor brightens all the way,

And, far and near,

Are breath of flowers and carolling of birds,

And bells that chime;

Our hearts are light: we do not weigh our words

At morning time!

But when the matin music all is hushed,

And life’s great load

Doth weigh us down, and thick with dust

Doth grow the road,

Then do we say less often that we love.

The words have grown!

With pleading eyes we look to Christ above,

And clasp our own.

Their lives are bound to ours by mighty bands

No mortal strait,

Nor Death himself, with his prevailing hands,

Can separate.

The world is wide, and many friends are dear,

And friendships true;

Yet do these words read plainer, year by year:

We love but few.