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by Edmund Spenser (1552 - 1599)

The merry cuckoo
Language: English 
The merry cuckoo, messenger of spring,
His trumpet shrill hath thrice already sounded:
That warns all lovers wait upon their king,
Who now is coming forth with garlands crowned.

With noise thereof the quire of birds resounded
Their anthems sweet devised of love's praise,
That all the woods their echoes back rebounded,
As if they knew the meaning of their lays.

But 'mongst them all, which did Love's honour raise,
No word was heard of her that most it ought,
But she his precept proudly disobeys,
And doth this idle message set at nought.

Therefore O love, unless she turn to thee
Ere Cuckoo end, let her a rebel be.

Text Authorship:

  • by Edmund Spenser (1552 - 1599) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The merry cuckoo", op. 44 no. 2 (1949) [soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, boys' chorus, and orchestra], from Spring Symphony, no. 2. [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this page: Ahmed E. Ismail

This text was added to the website: 2004-07-04
Line count: 14
Word count: 110

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