I love this poem by Pound for so many reasons.
It's a parody of this Anglo-Saxon poem:
Cuckoo Song
Sumer is ycomen in,
Loude sing cuckou!
Groweth seed and bloweth
meed,
And springith the wode now.
Sing cuckou!
Ewe bleteth after lamb,
Loweth after calve cow,
Bulloc sterteth, buck vereteth,
Merye sing cuckou!
Cuckou,cuckou:
Ne swik thou never now!
It's a parody of this Anglo-Saxon poem:
Cuckoo Song
Sumer is ycomen in,
Loude sing cuckou!
Groweth seed and bloweth
meed,
And springith the wode now.
Sing cuckou!
Ewe bleteth after lamb,
Loweth after calve cow,
Bulloc sterteth, buck vereteth,
Merye sing cuckou!
Cuckou,cuckou:
Ne swik thou never now!
*****
Now for Mr. Ezra Pound's rendition:
Ancient Music-Ezra Pound
Ancient Music-Ezra Pound
Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm.
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
Sing: Goddamm.
Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damn you, sing: Goddamm.
Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
So 'gainst the winter's balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.
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