Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? Loved the wood-rose, and…

Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk? At rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse? Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust? And loved so well a high behavior, In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained, Nobility more nobly to repay? O, be my friend, and teach me to be thine!

Ralph Waldo Emerson1803–1882 · writer · 1800s USARalph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist and poet who encouraged people to trust their own minds and think for themselves.207 quotes

Source found

Look up a word

Where these words come from

How sure this is: 95% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
What turned up: Forbearance, complete poem; All eight lines, read in Poems, Household Edition. Preserves the qualities of restraint, trust, and respect preceding the final invitation to friendship. Public-domain poem; line indentation normalized.
Work: Forbearance, complete poem
Sources checked: gutenberg.orgChecked using manual, 20 October 2026Forbearance, complete poem; All eight lines, read in Poems, Household Edition. Preserves the qualities of restraint, trust, and respect preceding the final invitation to friendship. Public-domain poem; line indentation normalized.