As Love and Hope together
⁠Walk by me for a while,
Link-armed the ways they travel
⁠For many a pleasant mile—
Link-armed and dumb they travel,
⁠They sing not, but they smile.

Hope leaving, Love commences
⁠To practise on the lute;
And as he sings and travels
⁠With lingering, laggard foot,
Despair plays obligato
⁠The sentimental flute.

Until in singing garments
⁠Comes royally, at call—
Comes limber-hipped Indiff'rence
⁠Free stepping, straight and tall—
Comes singing and lamenting.
⁠The sweetest pipe of all.