William Dean Howells

Caprice

SHE hung the cage at the window;
   "If he goes by," she said,
"He will hear my robin singing,
   And when he lifts his head,
I shall be sitting here to sew,
And he will bow to me, I know."

The robin sang a love-sweet song,
   The young man raised his head;
The maiden turned away and blushed:
   "I am a fool!" she said,
And went on 'broidering in silk
A pink-eyed rabbit, white as milk.

The young man loitered slowly
   By the house three times that day;
She took her bird from the window:
   "He need not look this way."
She sat at her piano long,
And sighed, and played a death-sad song.

But when the day was done, she said,
   "I wish that he would come!
Remember, Mary, if he calls
   To-night -- I'm not at home."
So when he rang, she went -- the elf! --
She went and let him in herself.

They sang full long together
   Their songs love-sweet, death-sad;
The robin woke from his slumber,
   And rang out, clear and glad.
"Now go!" she coldly said; " 'tis late";
And followed him -- to latch the gate.

He took the rosebud from her hair,
   While, "You shall not!" she said;
He closed her hand within his own,
   And, while her tongue forbade,
Her will was darkened in the eclipse
Of blinding love upon his lips.