Talk:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918/Cuckoo Song

All very well and good - I love having originals (maybe with some more context?) - but what would be the closest we can come in modern English?

Summer is a-coming in, Loud sing cuckoo! Grows seed, and blows mead(ow), And springs the wood new-- Sing, cuckoo! Ewe bleats after lamb, Lows after calf cow; Bullock starts, buck farts, Merry sing, cuckoo! Cuckoo, cuckoo, well sing thou, cuckoo: Nor cease thou never now! Sing cuckoo, now, sing cuckoo, Sing cuckoo, sing cuckoo, now!

The main article takes liberties with the original -- changes the character set (thorn etc) and adds punctuation! Here is a more direct transcription:

Svmer is icumen in Lhude sing cuccu Groweþ sed and bloweþ med and springþ þe wde nu Sing cuccu Awe bleteþ after lomb lhouþ after calue cu Bulluc sterteþ bucke uerteþ murie sing cuccu Cuccu cuccu Wel singes þu cuccu ne swik þu nauer nu         Sing cuccu nu          Sing cuccu Pes Sing cuccu Sing cuccu nu

69.87.193.214 13:05, 7 June 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the correction to the original. If you are willing to release your work under a GFDL compatible license, you can put it at Summer is a-coming in (Wikisource).  The Wikisource lets people know this version has not been previously published.  Be sure to specify a license release explicitly.  If you need any help with this contact me User talk:BirgitteSB.  It would also be great if you could list the source you used for the oringal  if it was different than the given manuscript. .--BirgitteSB 13:51, 7 June 2006 (UTC)