Ezra Pound

Ancient Music

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.