ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP

Who once has had a friend has found

The link‘ twixt mortal and divine;

Though now he sleeps in hallowed ground,

He lives in memory's sacred shrine;

And there he freely moves about,

A spirit that has quit the clay,

And in the times of stress and doubt

Sustains his friend throughout the day.

No friend we love can ever die;

The outward form but disappears;

I know that all my friends are nigh

Whenever I am moved to tears.

And when my strength and hope are gone,

The friends, no more, that once I knew,

Return to cheer and urge me on

Just as they always used to do.

They whisper to me in the dark

Kind words of counsel and of cheer;

When hope has flickered to a spark

I feel their gentle spirits near.

And Oh! because of them I strive

With all the strength that I can call

To keep their friendship still alive

And to be worthy of them all.

Death does not end our friendships true;

We all are debtors to the dead;

There, wait on everything we do

The splendid souls who've gone ahead.

To them I hold that we are bound

By double pledges to be fine.

Who once has had a friend has found

The link‘ twixt mortal and divine.