Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind Poem by William Shakespeare

Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

Rating: 3.6


Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most freindship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As a friend remembered not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Simon Morrison 01 September 2012

Rain, rain thou summer yet? I've never been so wet. But naught besides the the soak From tax and bankers' theft. For we've been left bereft If not quite broke! Heigh-ho! Sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most days it's raining. You'll need a brolly. Then heigh-ho, the holly! This weather's most jolly. Apologies to Big Bill.

111 59 Reply
Fabrizio Frosini 29 November 2015

from '' As You Like It '' (1623) - Act II, Scene vii This song is sung by Lord Amiens just after Jaques has made his famous speech which begins 'all the world's a stage' and goes on to detail the seven ages of man. The whole scene treats of the hypocrisy and ingratitude of man. In fact, hypocrisy and ingratitude are two of the central themes of the play as a whole, with the character Jaques brilliantly embodying the vituperative bitterness of one who has played the courtly game and lost. He rails against everybody and everything, but, in so doing, demonstrates that he is no better than the people against whom he rails. The trick is, of course, not to become embittered, as detailed very elegantly in this little song. [Adnax]

142 25 Reply
Fabrizio Frosini 29 November 2015

There are six syllables per line here, except the 'Heigh ho! ' line which has five, and gives us time to pause there, and look around to see if the audience has gone to sleep, and prepare ourselves to sing the final refrain with its terrible conclusions. And the conclusions really are terrible: 'most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly'. If there is anything that the poet was put on earth to celebrate, it was those two things, love and friendship. And yet the poetry goes on. The use of the form of a ditty to convey these solemn and disconcerting thoughts is very effective. The strong contrast between the nature of the thoughts expressed and the form of the poem points up the horror, and also shows the way in which the faithless individuals, the hypocrites and the ungrateful, may be overcome, not in railing against them, as does Jaques, but in accepting that things are so, and seeking solace where it is to be found. 'And this our life, exempt from public haunt, / Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, / Sermons in stones, and good in everything.' (The Duke, As You Like It, Act II, Scene vii) [Adnax]

132 22 Reply
Dimitrios Galanis 10 March 2017

I admire hear, dear doctor, your aquaintance with the classic literature.Pleased to notice it.Chiao!

0 1
*sunking* Adams 16 November 2012

Wow he said a mouthful with those words! Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As a friend remembered not.

59 81 Reply
Elon Musk 22 March 2022

i dig you dig we dig she dig they dig we all dig... its not a beautiful poem but its very deep

2 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 12 January 2022

The famous poet wants to pass on his message to mankind: pay attention, dear people, everything you see is not real, it is mere feigning and foolishness. Pay attention if his audience do understand this play and not have fallen asleep.. I have enjoyed this poem very much.

0 1 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 12 January 2022

Very melodious song from 'As You Like It' WS famous play. I like it very much, it sounds so warm in the cold winter months 5 Stars full

0 1 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 13 October 2021

My favorite line: , 'Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly'

1 0 Reply
Dr Antony Theodore 12 October 2020

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky, That does not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As a friend remembered not. the great Shakespeare. tony

1 4 Reply
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