Poems (Hoffman)/A Summer Friendship
A SUMMER FRIENDSHIP
Think not, my friend, our friendship of a seasonWill with the golden Summer be forgot;Truth hath a grander thought,Higher than human fancy, time or reason;God writes, "Forget Me not."
For God, who in His wisdom, love and pity,Led us to look into each other's eyes,To clasp glad hands, so soon to say good-byes,Is leading both to that eternal cityWhere friendship never dies.
We've known each other, we are friends though parted,Heaven is our meeting placeFrom life's long journey; standing face to faceWe shall recall a Summer, happy-heartedWith friendship's holy grace.
When we shall revel in the sacred beautiesOf a bright Summer-time that never ends,I think we will be glad that we were friendsThrough one brief earthly Summer's joys and duties,Then to our Maker will our praise ascend.
Let us not count our Summer friendship ended,I do not think God means it to be so,His budding plans unfinished here belowAre just begun; what His great mind intendedEternity will show.