Love said nay, while Hope kept saying
All his sweetest say,
Hope so keen to start a-maying!—
Love said nay.
Love was bent to watch and pray;
Long the watching, long the praying;
Hope grew drowsy, pale and grey.

Hope in dreams set off a-straying,
All his dream-world flushed by May;
While unslumbering, praying, weighing,
Love said nay.