I
"Who comes so gracefully 
  Gliding along, 
While the blue rivulet 
  Sleeps to her song; 
Song, richly vying
With the faint sighing 
Which swans, in dying, 
  Sweetly prolong?"

II
So sung the shepherd boy
  By the stream's side,
Watching that fairy boat 
  Down the flood glide, 
Like a bird winging,
Through the waves bringing
That Syren, singing 
  To the hush'd tide.

III
"Stay," said the shepherd-boy,
  "Fairy-boat, stay,
Linger, sweet minstrelsy,
  Linger, a day."
But vain his pleading,
Past him unheeding, 
Song and boat speeding,
  Glided away. 

IV
So to our youthful eyes
  Joy and hope shone;
So, while we gazed on them,
  Fast they flew on; --
Like flowers, declining 
Ev'n in the twining,
One moment shining,
  And, the next, gone!