The Poet Says Farewell to Winter

The World was dressed in green array,
With red and blue and yellow spray.
The little birds each sang his lay,
Where croaks the winter crow today.
Have those bright colors altered? yea,
All faded into white and grey.
We scan the landscape with dismay.

Isat in summer cheerfully,
Where blossoms grew and greenery.
Between the river and the lea
I gathered flowers on bended knee.
Now snow has bowed the naked tree,
And frost as far as eye can see,
That nips the birds most bitterly.

"Ah, snow fall fast!", the foolish cry.
the poor look sourly at the sky;
And heavy as a stone am I;
For three great sorrows on me lie.
But this and that I could defy,
And I could bid all three goodbye,
If Spring were here and Summer nigh.

Rather than live much longer so,
For bitter crabs I would forgo
My meat. Oh, Summer, come and show
Thyself with all thy garlands, ho!
Ah, let me bask in sun and go
To pick the blossoms as they grow.
Chase forth like straw our surly foe.

I grow uncouth as Esau grew;
My hair is long and matted too.
I long to see the sower strew
The seed and plough the soil anew.
Rather than sit for long and rue
In frozen state as now I do,
I'd be a monk in Toberlu.