The Best Kind of Friend
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
“ ‘Happy is the man who has dear children and sound horses and hunting hounds and a friend
abroad…’ Solon, F23 (West)” ~ Robin Lane Fox, The Classical World: an Epic History
from Homer to Hadrian, 38
“La Boétie’s writings include a few sonnets” ~ Wikipedia
A distant friend can’t be annoying
Or not, at least, as bad as one who’s near.
His manners cannot go destroying
Your mood. He may or may not be your peer:
You may consider him your better or
Your equal, but undoubtedly he’ll do
Some something that will irritate you more
Than strangers could. His friendship might be true
Enough, but maybe not as dog-like as
You’d like. The point, though, is his quirks are there
Beside you, an irksome out of tune jazz.
You are a perfect and imperfect pair.
..And here’s a thought to fill a man with dread:
….Montaigne’s one utter friend was parfait: dead.
Michel de Montaigne
Étienne de La Boétie