"GENTLE, modest little flower, br Sweet epitome of May, br Love me but for half an hour, br Love me, love me, little fay." br Sentences so fiercely flaming br In your tiny shell-like ear, br I should always be exclaiming br If I loved you, PHOEBE dear. br br "Smiles that thrill from any distance br Shed upon me while I sing! br Please ecstaticize existence, br Love me, oh, thou fairy thing!" br Words like these, outpouring sadly br You'd perpetually hear, br If I loved you fondly, madly; - br But I do not, PHOEBE dear.