  The midsummer twilight is dying, The golden is turning to gray, And my troublesome thoughts are a-flying To the days that have vanished away, When life had no crosses for me, love, But Proctors and bulldogs and dons, And I used to write sonnets to thee, love, In the dreamy old garden of John's. By Jove! What a time we just had, love, That week you were up for Commem.! The dances and picnics—egad, love, How strange to be thinking of them! How we laughed at the dusty old doctors, And the Vice with his gorgeous gold gown, And you thought it a shame that the Proctors Were constantly sending me down. We danced and we dined and we boated, Did the lions all quite comme il faut, And I felt a strange thrill when you voted Old Johnnie's the best of the show. I remember your eager delight, love, With our garden and chapel and hall— And oh, for that glorious night, love, When we went to the Balliol ball! There is very poor pleasure in dancing In a stuffy hot ball-room in June— And the Balliol lawn looked entrancing In the silvery light of the moon. I fancy the thought had occurred, love, To somebody else besides me, For I managed, with scarcely a word, love, To get you to smile and agree. We sat on the Balliol lawn, love, And the hours flew as fast as you please, Till the rosy-tipped fingers of dawn, love, Crept over the Trinity trees. A stranger might say he had never Heard trash in a vapider key; But no conversation has ever Been half so delicious to me. I seemed to be walking on air, love; And oh, how I quivered when you Snipped off a wee lock of your hair, love, And said you were fond of me too. I clasped it again and again, love, To my breast with a passionate vow. There ever since it has lain, love, And there it is lying just now. —But my heart gives a horrible thump, love, I find myself gasping for air, For my throat is choked up with a lump, love, Which surely should never be there. And I sadly bethink me that life, love, Won't always run just as we will— For you are another man's wife, love, And I am a bachelor still. |
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