Lightsome, brightsome, cousin mine,
Easy, breezy Caroline!

With, thy locks all raven-shaded,
From thy merry brow up-braided,
And thine eyes of laughter full,
Brightsome cousin mine!

Thou in chains of love hast bound me—
Wherefore dost thou flit around me,
Laughter-loving Caroline!

When I fain would go to sleep
In my easy-chair,
Wherefore on my slumbers creep—
Wherefore start me from repose,
Tickling of my hookÈd nose,
Pulling of my hair?
Wherefore, then, if thou dost love me,
So to words of anger move me,
Corking of this face of mine,
Tricksy cousin Caroline?

When a sudden sound I hear,
Much my nervous system suffers,
Shaking through and through.
Cousin Caroline, I fear,
'Twas no other, now, but you,
Put gunpowder in the snuffers,
Springing such a mine!

Yes, it was your tricksy self,
Wicked-trickÈd little elf,
Naughty cousin Caroline!

Pins she sticks into my shoulder,
Places needles in my chair,
And, when I begin to scold her,
Tosses back her combed hair,
With so saucy-vexed an air,
That the pitying beholder
Cannot brook that I should scold her:
Then again she comes, and bolder,
Blacks anew this face of mine,
Artful cousin Caroline!

Would she only say she'd love me,
Winsome, tinsome Caroline,
Unto such excess 'twould move me,
Teazing, pleasing, cousin mine!

That she might the live-long day
Undermine the snuffer-tray,
Tickle still my hooked nose,
Startle me from calm repose
With her pretty persecution;

Throw the tongs against my shins,
Run me through and through with pins,
Like a pierced cushion;

Would she only say she'd love me,
Darning-needles should not move me;
But, reclining back, I'd say,
"Dearest! there's the snuffer-tray;
Pinch, o pinch those legs of mine!

Cork me, cousin Caroline!"

TO A FORGET-ME-NOT