LOYALTY
HE MAY BE SIX KINDS OF A LIAR,
HE MAY BE TEN KINDS OF A FOOL,
HE MAY BE A WICKED HIGHFLYER
BEYOND ANY REASON OR RULE;
THERE MAY BE A SHADOW ABOVE HIM
OF RUIN AND WOE TO IMPEND;
AND I MAY NOT RESPECT, BUT I LOVE HIM,
BECAUSE - WELL, BECAUSE HE'S MY FRIEND.
I KNOW HE HAS FAULTS BY THE BILLION,
BUT HIS FAULTS ARE A PORTION OF HIM;
I KNOW THAT HIS RECORD'S VERMILLION,
AND HE'S FAR FROM THE SWEET SERAPHIM;
BUT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SQUARE WITH YOURS TRULY,
READY TO GIVE OR TO LEND,
AND IF HE IS WILD AND UNRULY,
I LIKE HIM - BECAUSE HE'S MY FRIEND.
I CRITICIZE HIM BUT I DO IT
IN JUST A FRANK, COMRADELY KEY,
AND BACK-BITING GOSSIPS WILL RUE IT
IF EVER THEY KNOCK HIM TO ME!
I NEVER MAKE DIAGRAMS OF HIM,
NO MAPS OF HIS SOUL HAVE I PENNED;
I DON'T ANALYZE - I JUST LOVE HIM,
BECAUSE - WELL, BECAUSE HE'S MY FRIEND.
Berton Braley
