Hast thou named all the birds without a gun;
Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk;
At rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse;
Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust;
And loved so well a high behavior
In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained,
Nobility more nobly to repay?—
O be my friend, and teach me to be thine!
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Comments1I remember stumbling upon this piece in my youth. Rereading it now, it lacks the magic I thought it had back then. Something about its tone just falls flat for me. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea anymore, but I found it somewhat pretentious and not that engaging.