---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Whitney, Orson F.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 3
number: 5
published: 1900-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Orson F. Whitney, "Cupid Interviewed: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 5 (March 1900): 348–349.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera35unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera35unse
start_page: 348
end_page: 349
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera35unse
  publication_year: 1900
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Cupid Interviewed: A Poem

<!-- page:348 -->

CUPID INTERVIEWED. ( Written for the Era.)

 BY BISHOP 0. F. WHITNEY.

Stay, Cupid, tell me —What is love?

 "Tis something like a tree 'Known by its fruits,' I fancy, sir. And think you will agree."

What are its fruits —sweet words and smiles?' "Nay, these its blossoms are. The promises of fruit to come, It may be near or far."

And what are broken promises? "Frost-bitten buds, of course;

Then sweet words change to bitter ones, And smiles to frowns, or worse."

And letters —notes— love's messages?

 "Oh, letters are but leaves, Whereof the swain disconsolate Hope's chaplet fondly weaves."

If letters looked for never come,

 What must I then suppose? "Your tree is barren —dead—or in

 Another's garden grows."

<!-- page:349 -->

CUPID INTERVIEWED. 349

 Hold! What of kisses soft and warm? "I really could'nt say

 I never deal with metaphors When kisses come my way.

 "But still I answer— Love, true love Is very like a tree;

 The longer grown the stronger grown, Where'er that growth may be.

 "Such love is not ephemeral, It dies not with the day;

 It's flowers are heavenly immortelles.

 It teems with fruit alway.

 "But soul with soul must sympathize, As sun and soil agree, • Or there shall come nor fruit nor flower; For love is like a tree."