Sixty to Sixteen

If I were young as you, Sixteen,
   And you were old as I,
I would not be as I have been,
   You would not be so shy—
We should not watch with careless mien
   The golden days go by,
If I were young as you, Sixteen,
   And you were old as I.

The years of youth are yours, Sixteen;
   Such years of old had I,
But time has set his seal between
   Dark eyebrow and dark eye.
Sere grow the leaves that once were green,
   The song turns to a sigh:
Ah! very young are you, Sixteen,
   And very old am I.

Red bloom-times come and go, Sixteen,
   With snow-soft feet, but I
Shall be no more as I have been
   In times of bloom gone by;
For dimmer grows the pleasant scene
   Beneath the pleasant sky;
The world is growing old, Sixteen—
   The weary world and I.

Ah, would that once again, Sixteen,
   A kissing mouth had I;
The days would gaily go, I ween,
   Though death should stand anigh,
If springtime’s green were evergreen,
   If Love would never die,
And I were young as you, Sixteen,
   And you were old as I.