| HIS words were magic and his heart was true, | |
| And everywhere he wandered he was blessed. | |
| Out of all ancient men my childhood knew | |
| I choose him and I mark him for the best. | |
| Of all authoritative liars, too, | 5 |
| I crown him loveliest. | |
| |
| How fondly I remember the delight | |
| That always glorified him in the spring; | |
| The joyous courage and the benedight | |
| Profusion of his faith in everything! | 10 |
| He was a good old man, and it was right | |
| That he should have his fling. | |
| |
| And often, underneath the apple-trees, | |
| When we surprised him in the summer time, | |
| With what superb magnificence and ease | 15 |
| He sinned enough to make the day sublime! | |
| And if he liked us there about his knees, | |
| Truly it was no crime. | |
| |
| All summer long we loved him for the same | |
| Perennial inspiration of his lies; | 20 |
| And when the russet wealth of autumn came, | |
| There flew but fairer visions to our eyes— | |
| Multiple, tropical, winged with a feathery flame, | |
| Like birds of paradise. | |
| |
| So to the sheltered end of many a year | 25 |
| He charmed the seasons out with pageantry | |
| Wearing upon his forehead, with no fear, | |
| The laurel of approved iniquity. | |
| And every child who knew him, far or near, | |
| Did love him faithfully. | 30 |
