Edgar Allan Poe

To Frances S. Osgood

Summary

This poem offers a timeless reflection on the concept of love and authenticity, advising that one must remain true to themselves to be genuinely loved. It encourages embracing one's current qualities and cautions against pretending to be something one is not. The poem celebrates the natural grace and inherent beauty found in authentic behavior, suggesting that these qualities can earn endless praise and appreciation from others. Love, in this context, is portrayed as a straightforward duty that follows naturally when one remains genuine. The message underlines integrity and self-acceptance as foundational for cultivating sincere and lasting relationships.

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Thou wouldst be loved?—then let thy heart
From its present pathway part not!
Being everything which now thou art,
Be nothing which thou art not.
So with the world thy gentle ways,
Thy grace, thy more than beauty,
Shall be an endless theme of praise,
And love—a simple duty.

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