The Cuckoo

In April,
Come he will.
In May,
He sings all day.
In June,
He changes his tune.
In July,
He prepares to fly.
In August,
Go he must.

*****
The Cuckoo Song can be found in Ballads and Lyrics (1891) by Katharine Tynan.

Cuckoo Song

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

In April skies were blue

As every hedgerow knew;

And there was you.

In April

The cuckoo shows his bill,

With windflowers on vale and hill.

O, Love!

Sweet was April, sweet was April!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

In May his song was true,

And the world was new

For me and you.

In May

He sings all day,

All the long night that’s sweet with hay.

O, Love!

Blithe was the May, blithe was the May!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

Last June the roses grew

In many a place we knew,

I and you.

In June

He changes his tune.

A young man’s fancy changes soon.

O, Love!
Fleet was June, fleet was June!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!
His notes are faint and few,
The lily is dying too,
For the rose there is rue.
In July

Away will he fly,

His notes blown back from an empty sky.

O, Love!
Sad was July, sad was July!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!
No more we listen to
The merry song we knew,
I and you.
In August
Go he must,

Love and lovers will turn to dust.

O, Love!
Cold is August, cold is August!