The song of youth is ended, but ever and anon
The murmur of the melody goes undulating on;
The echoes give in fragments the words "high diddle diddle,"
Then with a rush there comes a gush of—hark! "the cat and fiddle."
The melody again I think I hear—or shall hear very soon—
The line that says the rampant cow has jumped right o'er the moon,
The little dog is laughing too, such merry sport to see,
So in half-broken accents whispers a voice to me.
But worst of all, and last of all, and saddest thing to say,
A voice insists "that with the spoon the dish has run away."