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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  5. This World’s Joy

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Anonymous. c. 1300

5. This World’s Joy

WYNTER wakeneth al my care, 
Nou this leves waxeth bare; 
Ofte I sike ant mourne sare 
  When hit cometh in my thoht 
  Of this worldes joie, hou hit goth al to noht.         5
 
Nou hit is, and nou hit nys, 
Al so hit ner nere, ywys; 
That moni mon seith, soth hit ys: 
  Al goth bote Godes wille: 
  Alle we shule deye, thah us like ylle.  10
 
Al that gren me graueth grene, 
Nou hit faleweth albydene: 
Jesu, help that hit be sene 
  Ant shild us from helle! 
  For y not whider y shal, ne hou longe her duelle.  15
 
GLOSS:  this leves] these leaves.  sike] sigh.  nys] is not.  al so hit ner nere] as though it had never been.  soth] sooth.  bote] but, except.  thah] though.  faleweth] fadeth.  albydene] altogether.  y not whider] I know not whither.  her duelle] here dwell.