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I. SHE hung the cage at the window, | |
| “If he goes by,” she said, | |
| “He will hear my robin singing, | |
| And when he lifts his head, | |
| I shall be sitting here to sew, | 5 |
| And he will bow to me, I know.” | |
| |
| The robin sang a love-sweet song, | |
| The young man raised his head; | |
| The maiden turned away and blushed: | |
| “I ’m a fool!” she said, | 10 |
| And went on broidering in silk | |
| A pink-eyed rabbit, white as milk. | |
| |
II. The young man loitered slowly | |
| By the house three times that day; | |
| She took her bird from the window: | 15 |
| “He need not look this way.” | |
| She sat at her piano long, | |
| And sighed, and played a death-sad song. | |
| |
| But when the day was done, she said, | |
| “I wish that he would come! | 20 |
| Remember, Mary, if he calls | |
| To-night—I ’m not at home.” | |
| So when he rang, she went—the elf!— | |
| She went and let him in herself. | |
| |
III. They sang full long together | 25 |
| Their songs love-sweet, death-sad, | |
| The robin woke from his slumber, | |
| And rang out, clear and glad. | |
| “Now go,” she coldly said, “’t is late;” | |
| And followed him—to latch the gate. | 30 |
| |
| He took the rosebud from her hair, | |
| While, “You shall not,” she said: | |
| He closed her hand within his own, | |
| And while her tongue forbade, | |
| Her will was darkened in the eclipse | 35 |
| Of blinding love upon his lips. | |
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