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