I have watched her bud and blossom,

Watched the dimpled child mature;

Watched her till my heart beat wildly,

Till my soul grew strangely troublous,

Till I grew depressed and fretful,

With a nameless dread and sorrow,

And I understood it not.

And I wearied soon without her,

Wearied soon without Roberta,

My sweet blossom, my Roberta,