Friday, February 9, 2018

"This is life most jolly"





     This storm is nothing. Then again, most winter storms are nothing, as Shakespeare reminds us, at least when compared to the storms of the heart. What wind can freeze you the way other people can? Anyway, I thought of this song of Lord Amiens, and decided to share it.

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 dost 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.

                                       —William Shakespeare
                                          As You Like It
                                          Act 2, Scene 7

4 comments:

  1. Excellent. Is that a real-time photo of your deck, or an archived shot, if I may ask?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Always with an eye to the insignificant and inconsequential, I noticed in the poem that "warp" and "sharp" used to rhyme, if we can trust Shakespeare. Certainly, his cynicism is right on.

    john

    ReplyDelete
  3. But then, as the poet Shelley observed: "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

    Tom

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't have to pick up a physical copy of the ST. It comes to me. ;)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, and posted at the discretion of the proprietor.