Thursday 21 December 2017

Sing, heigh-ho!



Blow, blow, thou winter wind
by William Shakespeare

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.


It is Midwinter's Day; the Winter solstice; the longest night.

It all gets better from here. Spring is just around the corner...

8 comments:

  1. yes, yes it does. good yuletide to you, jon!

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  2. While idly browsing a volume of Goethe's saemmitliche Werke─ as is one’s wont while waiting for the wine to mull on a frigid, snow-blown Iowa evening─I came again upon this passage and I could not help but think of you and your blogs: “The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.” Warmest holiday wishes to─ both literally and figuratively─ a master gardener. Be thou well.

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    Replies
    1. Only you, my dear, would add a little Sturm und Drang into the proceedings - season's greetings to you too! Jx

      Delete
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1UwNpzMzDo
    cleo laine/blow thou winter wind

    ReplyDelete

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