Poetic Inspiration
Summer Has Come In, c. thirteenth century, author unknown
Sumer is icumen in[1],
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweth sed, and bloweth med,
And springeth the wude nu—
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteth after lomb,
Lhouth after calve cu;
Bulluc sterteth, bucke verteth,
Murie sing cuccu!
Cuccu, cuccu, well singes thu, cuccu:
Ne swike thu naver nu;
Sing cuccu, nu, sing cuccu,
Sing cuccu, sing cuccu, nu!
[1] This poem (also known as the ‘Cuckoo Song’) by an unknown author is written in the Wessex dialect of Middle English. It is thought to have been composed as a rota: a type of composition in which the same text is song repeatedly by numerous voices.