November 12th, 2008

wolfinthewood: Wolf's head in relief from romanesque tympanum at Kilpeck, Herefordshire (Default)
Mirie it is while sumer ilast
With fugheles* song;
Oc nu necheth** windes blast
And weder strong.
Ei, ei, what this nicht is long!
And ich with wel michel wrong
Soregh*** and murne and fast.

*fowls', birds'
**But now approaches ('nigheth')
***Sorrow

Anonymous; early 13th century

This is one of the earliest English secular songs to have survived with music: an incongruously cheery tune, which can be sung as a round (I have an old Argo recording of it sung like that).

And no, things aren't really quite that bad; though I have had trouble sleeping some nights.

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wolfinthewood: Wolf's head in relief from romanesque tympanum at Kilpeck, Herefordshire (Default)
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