William Shakespeare(1564–1616)

When Daisies Pied

spring.

When daisies pied and violets bluevariegated

And lady-smocks all silver-white

And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue7

Do paint the meadows with delight,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men;8 for thus sings he,

Cuckoo;

Cuckoo, cuckoo: Oh word of fear,

Unpleasing to a married ear!

When shepherds pipe on oaten 0 straws, 0reed I pipes

And merry larks are plowmen's clocks,9

When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws,1

And maidens bleach their summer smocks,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men; for thus sings he,

Cuckoo;

Cuckoo, cuckoo: Oh word of fear,

Unpleasing to a married ear!

Winter

When icicles hang by the wall

And Dick the shepherd blows his nail2

And Tom bears logs into the hall,

And milk comes frozen home in pail.

When blood is nipped 0 and ways 0 be foul,chilled I paths

Then nightly sings the staring owl,

Tu-who;

Tu-whit,3 tu-who: a merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.stir to cool

When all aloud the wind doth blow,

And coughing drowns the parson's saw,wise saying

And birds sit brooding in the snow,

And Marian's nose looks red and raw,

W h e n roasted crabs 0 hiss in the bowl,crab apples I (of ale)

Then nightly sings the staring owl,

Tu-who;

Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.stir to cool

1595?1598