Long years ago, those bygone hours,
in vain I sought thy hand to gain,
thy presence then as garden bowers,
sweetly kissed by pearls of rain,
thy beauty was the graces choice,
that gladdens the eye to see,
soft thou spoke with gentle voice,
'twas all the world to me,

Haste flown years, its time has sown,
as swiftly rolls each parting day,
highlights from thy cheek, perhaps have flown,
and thy starlight hair touched silver grey,
time would focus these, but it need not,
for ageless spring thou shall ever be,
remembered gaiety still cheers my lot,
and that's the world to me,

Our spring now runs to winter's cold,
beneath the same but differing sky,
the unfaded rose still blooms of old,
its perfumed breath still leaves a sigh,
thy countenance, perhaps a line or two,
with grace, no less beautiful may be,
for still I remember the you I knew,
and that's the world to me.