Loyalty - by Berton Braley

Loyalty    

by Berton Braley

He may be six kinds of a liar,

He may be ten kinds of a fool,

He may be a wicked highflyer

Beyond any reason or rule;

There may be a shadow above him

Of ruin and woes to impend,

And I may not respect, but I love him,

Because-well, because he's my friend.

I know he has faults by the billion,

But his faults are a portion of him;

I know that his record's vermilion,

And he's far from the sweet Seraphim;

But he's always been square with yours truly,

Ready to give or to lend,

And if he is wild and unruly,

I like him-because he's my friend.

I criticize him but I do it

In just a frank, comradely key,

And back-biting gossips will rue it

If ever they knock him to me!

I never make diagrams of him,

No maps of his soul have I penned;

I don't analyze- just love him,

Because-well, because he's my friend.

wicked - bad or wrong
Highflyer - one who has become successful more quickly than normal, one reaching too high too fast

woes - great sorrow or distress

impend - be about to happen 

his record's vermilion - he has a bad reputation. vermilion is an orangish-red color associated with passion, guilt, sin and anger

sweet Seraphim - members of the highest order of angels, above the cherubim
square - honest and loyal

frank - open and sincere, straightforward

back-biting - nasty, malicious
gossips - people who repeat idle talk and rumors, especially about the private lives of others

rue - regret, feel sorrow over

knock - criticize