If one thousand men walking through this world room to room to room then home again ask the favor of your friendship, know that I am one within the thousand.
If one hundred men making do within this world in city places or the kindest country fall down fighting for your friendship, know I am on the battlefield amid the hundred.
If twenty men who know and knew this world from crested hills to uncrowned valley send letters breathing friendship, expect my letter soon among the twenty.
If one man living in this too-gray world running crooked roads or pacing pavements comes in need of friendship be not amazed or disbelieve, I am that one man.
If no one comes to you carrying a New World in his arms or at his back in a rolling wagon offering it to you out of friendship know that I have been detained but even now am on my way.
Still no one comes to you within this world when two dozen years or half of that has passed and you feel friendless, come and seek me out for I'll be lifeless in a grave and gone.
Perhaps you were hiding Or concerned with other, larger things but know that while I lived I went on looking.
