Little birds in yonder grove,
Making nests, and making love,
Come sing upon your favorite tree,
Once more your sweetest songs to me:
An exile from these scenes I go,
Whither, I neither care nor know:
Perhaps to some far distant shore,
Never again to hear you more.
The river Lea glides smoothly by,
Unconscious of my agony.
This bursting sigh-this last sad tear,
On quitting all I hold so dear,
Are felt-are heard-are seen by none,
Left as I am by every one.
Farewell to Brocket's gladsome hall,
Farewell to Dawson's fruitful wall,
Farewell to Hassard's cheering smile,
His hearty laugh, which cares no guile:
Ever supported, 'till a sad tear,
Dimm'd his bright eye for me this year.
Farewell the faithful Welwyn band,
The poor-the kind-my own dear land.
Where'er I go, God bless you all;
And thus I leave thee, Brocket Hall:
Time was, a youthful happy child,
Thoughtless, undaunted-wanton-gay, and wild,
I came from home and parents dear,
To find a home and husband here,
My joyous days with youth are fled,
My friends are either chang'd or dead:
My faults-my follies-leave these alone,
They live in the mouth of every one,
And still remain when all is gone.
This is my twentieth marriage year,
They celebrate with Hassard's beer;
They dance-they sing-they bless the day,
I weep the while-and well I may:
Husband, nor child, to greet me come,
Without a friend-without a home:
I sit beneath my favorite tree,
Sing then, my little birds, to me,
In music, love, and liberty.