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Edgar Guest - The Test
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You can brag about the famous men you know;
  You may boast about the great men you have met,
Parsons, eloquent and wise; stars in histrionic skies;
  Millionaires and navy admirals, and yet
Fame and power and wealth and glory vanish fast;
  They are lusters that were never made to stick,
And the friends worth-while and true, are the happy smiling few
  Who come to call upon you when you`re sick.

You may think it very fine to know the great;
  You may glory in some leader`s words of praise;
You may tell with eyes aglow of the public men you know,
  But the true friends seldom travel glory`s ways,
And the day you`re lying ill, lonely, pale and keeping still,
  With a fevered pulse, that`s beating double quick,
Then it is you must depend on the old-familiar friend
  To come to call upon you when you`re sick.

It is pleasing to receive a great man`s nod,
  And it`s good to know the big men of the land,
But the test of friendship true, isn`t merely: "Howdy-do?"
  And a willingness to shake you by the hand.
If you want to know the friends who love you best,
  And the faithful from the doubtful you would pick,
It is not a mighty task; of yourself you`ve but to ask:
  "Does he come to call upon me when I`m sick?"
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