What gifts of speech a man may own,
What grace of manners may appear,
Have little worth unless his heart
Be honest, forthright, and sincere.
The sincere man is like a rock,
As true as time; with honest eye
He looks you squarely in the face
Nor turns aside to make reply.
Nothing is hidden; there is no sham,
No camouflage to caution care,
No ifs or buts to haunt the mind,
Or secret doubts to linger there.
A crystal candor marks his speech,
With conscience clear he goes his way,
He does the thing he thinks is right
Nor cares a whit what others say.
Give me a man that is sincere,
And though a wealth of faults attend,
I shall clasp his hand in mine
And claim him as a trusted friend!
~ Alfred Grant Walton