How much he thrived on folks!ÐThey
came and went
The humble and the great; he was
content
To love them all. I think perhaps he had
More friends than any man! It made him glad
To share the water in his mountain
spring
With everyone who came; and he would
bring
A flower back to tuck in Mother's
hair
And whisper words that only they
could share.
He was a tall manÐtall inside and
out.
He thought big thoughts, and what he
talked about
Went far beyond the margin of his
hills.
He taught the sweetness that the
silence spills
From moments of reflection; and he
knew
Just how to weave it into
words for you:
A kind of mixture of philosophy
And common sense and wit and
artistry.
I can recall the twinkle in his
eyes
When he had made a pointÐa sort of
shy
And gloating look, yet kind and
gentle too,
As though down deep inside himself
he knew
To win an argument, and lose a
friend,
Was scarcely worth the effort in the
end.