Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweþ sed and bloweþ med

And springþ þe wde nu,
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteþ after lomb,
Lhouþ after calue cu.
Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ,
Murie sing cuccu!
Cuccu, cuccu, wel þu singes cuccu;

Ne swik þu nauer nu.
Pes:

Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu!
Sing cuckoo, sing! Of course, this Middle English round begins and ends with the common cuckoo, a Eurasian species; our own black billed and yellow billed cuckoos, which pass through NYC during migration, are of a different genus, and not nearly as aurally present as the common. Solistice at 1:16 EDT.

mthew

5 responses to “”

  1. Elizabeth White

    And a happy summer to you!

    Reply
    1. mthew

      And to all!

      Reply
      1. mthew

        I meant to say “þanks” as well.

  2. Elizabeth White

    I do love the thorns,eths and yoghs! So glad to see them in use!

    Reply
  3. amarilla

    Oh the cuckoo
    She’s a pretty bird
    She wobbles as she flies
    But I never give her water
    Till the fourth day of July

    Reply

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