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| Robert Service c. 1905 Wikipedia |
Poet, author, Robert Service* is the topic today in The Neat L'l Bookshop. Join us in the afternoon anytime 1:00 p.m.
The following poem was written while Service was staying comfortably in a friend's "little house" near the sea. He speaks wistfully about someday having his own place.
I have some friends, some worthy friends,
And worthy friends are rare:
These carpet slippers on my feet,
That padded leather chair;
This old and shabby dressing-gown,
So well the worse of wear.
I have some friends, some honest friends,
And honest friends are few;
My pipe of briar, my open fire,
A book that's not too new;
My bed so warm, the nights of storm
I love to listen to.
I have some friends, some good, good friends
Who faithful are to me:
My wrestling partner when I rise,
The big and burly sea;
My little boat that's riding there
So saucy and so free.
I have some friends, some golden friends,
Whose worth will not decline:
A tawny Irish terrier, a purple shading pine,
A little red-roofed cottage that
So proudly I call mine.
All other friends may come and go,
All other friendships fail;
But these, the friends I've worked to win,
Oh, they will never stale;
And comfort me till Time shall write
The finish to my tale.
* (1874 - 1958)
Complete Poems of Robert Service, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1907.
