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Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900/Cuckoo Song

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For other versions of this work, see Sumer is icumen in (anonymous).
Anonymous2612989Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900 — Cuckoo Song1931Arthur Quiller-Couch
1.
Cuckoo Song

c. 1250

SUMER is icumen in,
Lhude[1] sing cuccu!
Groweth sed, and bloweth med,
And springth the wude nu—
Sing cuccu!

Awe bleteth after lomb,
Lhouth[2] after calve cu;
Bulluc sterteth,[3] bucke verteth,
Murie sing cuccu!

Cuccu, cuccu, well singes thu, cuccu:
Ne swike[4] thu naver nu;
Sing cuccu, nu, sing cuccu,
Sing cuccu, sing cuccu, nu!

  1. lhude] loud.
  2. lhouth] loweth.
  3. sterteth] leaps
  4. swike] cease.