Her Love-Birds

WHEN I looked up at my love-birds That Sunday afternoon, There was in their tiny tune A dying fetch like broken words, When I looked up at my love-birds That Sunday afternoon.

When he, too, scanned the love-birds On entering there that day, ’Twas as if he had nought to say Of his long journey citywards, When he, too, scanned the love-birds, On entering there that day.

And billed and billed the love-birds, As ’twere in fond despair At the stress of silence where Had once been tones in tenor thirds, And billed and billed the love-birds As ’twere in fond despair.

O, his speech that chilled the love-birds, And smote like death on me, As I learnt what was to be, And knew my life was broke in sherds! O, his speech that chilled the love-birds, And smote like death on me!