For Books
All books that I read, nice and best,
Are my friends, light and bosomest
They listen to my thoughts without haste,
Some gratify my soul's innermost taste
The books are my only relations of worth
On my lonely - loneliest earth
My soul's bitterest anguish they soothe
They make fresh hopes in me now and again take birth
folks tell me insane, always absorb'd in books
How can I help if only they like myself look!
They approved of mine, folks sniff'd at and shook
Why wonder if books for joie de vivre I took
There is so much grand from books I learn
Such knowledge poor folks would never earn
Books, the Gods of knowledge, I term
Are the priests with advice of everyone's concern
Books are now my life's support
Without them I reckon my bliss would abort
Their influence is so mingled with my soul and heart
They hold in my existence an immense part
So much so to me are those books
Yet those books are... oh, but books!