Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

For my latest contribution to my series of poetry posts, I was looking for something wintry and Christmasy... Unfortunately all the Christmas poems I found were a bit twee, so I've gone with the wintry theme - most apt given the current cold snap.

It's a deceptive piece. There is a jolliness and levity to the last four lines of each stanza which belies the underlying message - the weather isn't as bad as lost friendship and most friendships are false.


Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind by William Shakespeare
(from As You Like It, Act II, Scene 7)

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 remember'd 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.


Andrew

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