| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. 1516–47 |
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39. Description of Spring
Wherein each thing renews, save only the Lover |
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| THE soote season, that bud and bloom forth brings, | |
| With green hath clad the hill and eke the vale: | |
| The nightingale with feathers new she sings; | |
| The turtle to her make hath told her tale. | |
| Summer is come, for every spray now springs: | 5 |
| The hart hath hung his old head on the pale; | |
| The buck in brake his winter coat he flings; | |
| The fishes flete with new repairèd scale. | |
| The adder all her slough away she slings; | |
| The swift swallow pursueth the flies smale; | 10 |
| The busy bee her honey now she mings; | |
| Winter is worn that was the flowers' bale. | |
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| And thus I see among these pleasant things | |
| Each care decays, and yet my sorrow springs. | |
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GLOSS: make] mate. mings] mingles, mixes. |
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