Women and men, we gave her royal way; Proud as young joy the smile she had. We knew her for a neighbor in the Town, Unmated, solitary, sad. 

Proud as young joy the smile she had.

Unmated, solitary, sad.

 Youth, hope, and love, we gave her silent way, Calm as a sigh she swept us all; Then swiftly, as a word leans to a thought, We saw her lean to him, and fall 

Calm as a sigh she swept us all;

We saw her lean to him, and fall

 Upon the happy body of the dead— An aged woman, poor and gray. Bright as the day, immortal as young Love, And glorious as life, he lay. 

An aged woman, poor and gray.

And glorious as life, he lay.

 Her shrunken hands caressed his rounded cheek, Her white locks on his golden hair Fell sadly.  "O love!" she cried with shriveled lips, "O love, my love, my own, my fair! 

Her white locks on his golden hair

"O love, my love, my own, my fair!

 "See, I am old, and all my heart is gray. They say the dead are aye forgot— There, there, my sweet! I whisper, leaning low, That all these women hear it not. 

They say the dead are aye forgot—

That all these women hear it not.

 "Deep in the darkness there, didst think on me? High in the heavens, have ye been true? Since I was young, and since you called me fair, I never loved a man but you. 

High in the heavens, have ye been true?

I never loved a man but you.

 And here, my boy, you lie, so safe, so still"— But there she hushed; and in the dim, Cool morning, timid as a bride, but calm As a glad mother, gathered him 

But there she hushed; and in the dim,

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