Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm,
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
Sing: Goddamm.
Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damn you, sing: Goddamm.
Goddamm, Goddamm, ’tis why I am, Goddamm,
So ‘gainst the winter’s balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.
Note by Pound: This is not folk music, but Dr. Ker writes that the tune is to be found under the Latin words of a very ancient canon.
“Ancient Music” is Pound’s goodhearted parody of the Medieval round, “The Cuckoo Song”:
Cuckoo Song
by Anonymous
Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu;
Groweth sed and bloweth med
And Springth the wude nu.
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteth after lomb,
Lhouth after calve cu;
Bulluc sterteth, bucke verteth;
Murie sing cuccu.
Cuccu, cuccu,
Wel singes thu, cuccu,
Ne swik thu naver nu.
Sing cuccu nu! Sing cuccu!
Sing cuccu! Sing cuccu nu!
GLOSSARY:
lhude = loud.
awe = ewe.
lhouth = loweth.
sterteth = leaps.
swike = cease.