---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Merrill, H. R.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 20
number: 11
published: 1917-09
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'H. R. Merrill, "I Love the World," *Improvement Era* 20, no. 11 (September 1917): 960.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera20011unse
  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: improvementera20011unse
start_page: 960
end_page: 960
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1917-09)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera20011unse
  publication_year: 1917
  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 1917, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# I Love the World

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IMPROVEMENT ERA

hammock under the cool, breezy trees, a messenger boy ran in
with a telegram. I trembled as I opened the paper. It was from
him. When I read the message my heart thrilled. I knew then
that he cared, that he, too, had suffered during these months
of misunderstanding. In a visionary flash I saw our happiness
       —
ahead, two lives merging into one grand realm.       I was su-
premely happy, and yet all that the message said was:
     "Did not receive your letter of acceptance. Send duplicate
immediately. Sincerely yours, Ray."
Bunkerville, Nevada.




                          I   Love the World

                  I    love the world with all   its   cares,
                       With all its clouds and rain;
                  I love it though it freely shares
                    With me its cares and pain;
                  I love it still when blizzards roar,
                    When snow-flakes fill the air,
                  Or when God's thunder shakes my door,
                       And livid lightnings glare.

                  I    love this world, aye, love it well,
                       When azure skies smile down
                  Upon some shady mountain dell,
                    Where shadows lose their frown;
                  And when some songster trills a lay
                       Of never-ending mirth,
                  I    fancy that his warbles sav,
                       "I love you, Mother Earth!"

                  I love the world for its own sake;
                    I love its smiles and tears;
                  I love it where the wild waves break
                    And where the hot sun sears;
                  I love its hills, its vales, its peaks,
                    Its beauties all unfurled;
                  I love its rippling, babbling creeks
                    I love this dear old world!


                  I    love the earth because she's true,
                    Her bounty shelters me;
                  Her products suckled on her dew
                    Are sweet as foods can be
                  Her moon is mine each summer night,
                    All mine her skies of blue,
                                   —
                  Her sunshine all for my delight,
                    I love the world, don't you?

                                                                H. R. Merrill.
Preston, Idaho.