Hidden Love

The bird of Fortune sings when free,     But captured, soon grows dumb; and we,     To hear his fast declining powers,     Must soon forget that he is ours.     So, when I win that maid, no doubt     Love soon will seem to be half out;     Like blighted leaves drooped to the ground,     Whose roots are still untouched and sound,     So will our love's root still be strong     When others think the leaves go wrong.     Though we may quarrel, 'twill not prove     That she and I are less in love;     The parrot, though he mocked the dove,     Died when she died, and proved his love.     When merry springtime comes, we hear     How all things into love must stir;     How birds would rather sing than eat,     How joyful sheep would rather bleat:     And daffodils nod heads of gold,     And dance in April's sparkling cold.     So in our early love did we     Dance much and skip, and laugh with glee:     But let none think our love is flown     If, when we're married, little's shown:     E'en though our lips be dumb of song,     Our hearts can still be singing strong.