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 springtimes green were evergreen,     If Love would never die,     And I were young as you, Sixteen,     And you were old as I.