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'Tis easy enough to be pleasant,
When life flows along like a song;
But the man worth read more
'Tis easy enough to be pleasant,
When life flows along like a song;
But the man worth while is the one who will smile
When everything does dead wrong;
For the test of the heart is trouble,
And it always comes with the years,
But the smile that is worth the praise of earth
Is the smile that comes through tears.
. . . .
But the virtue that conquers passion,
And the sorrow that hides in a smile--
It is these that are worth the homage of earth,
For we find them but once in a while.
I feel in every smile a chain.
I feel in every smile a chain.
Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.
Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.
And she hath smiles to earth unknown--
Smiles that with motion of their own
Do spread, and read more
And she hath smiles to earth unknown--
Smiles that with motion of their own
Do spread, and sink, and rise.
Eternal smiles his emptiness betray,
As shallow streams run dimpling all the way.
Eternal smiles his emptiness betray,
As shallow streams run dimpling all the way.
With the smile that was childlike and bland.
With the smile that was childlike and bland.
Smiles form the channels of a future tear.
Smiles form the channels of a future tear.
With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye.
With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye.
The thing that goest farthest towards making life worth while,
That costs the least, and does the most, is read more
The thing that goest farthest towards making life worth while,
That costs the least, and does the most, is just a pleasant
smile.
. . . .
It's full of worth and goodness too, with manly kindness blent,
It's worth a million dollars and it doesn't cost a cent.