The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, October 1917

"Love is Best"

"Love is Best"

Oh, what are crowns, and what are thrones,
Empires and kingdoms built with pain,
Rewarding only dead men's bones.
To those who strive and seek to gain?
For love is love, and love is best,
And love is mine—I spurn the rest!

And what are beauty, strength and gold,
Learning and knowledge hardly won?
Lo! All of these with age grow old,
The best is lost ere life is done!
But love is love, 'twill ne'er decay,
And love is mine, is mine for aye!

And what are all the poets' songs
Of spring with lovely flowers new-blown,
Or epic tales of dreadful wrongs,
And heroes slain, and states o'erthrown?
Enough to sing of love divine,
Since love is love, and love is mine!

Why, thirsty soul, seek always more,
And wherefore ever restless strive,
When life for such wine can pour?
Oh! 'tis enough to be alive,
When love is love, and love is best!
When love is ours, Who wants the rest?

"A."