"At First Sight", a poem by Robert Graves

'Love at first sight', some say, misnamimg
Discovery of twinned helplessness
Against the huge tug of procreation.

But friendship at first sight? This also
Catches fiercely at the surprised heart
So that the cheek blanches and then blushes.


I loved this poem from the first moment that I read it;
so spare and yet so telling.
The words and rhythms and syllable beat (9,9,10 / 9,9,10) -
clever and yet completely unaffected.
Again, he says so much with so little.