The Soote Season, that Bud and Bloom forth Brings

The Soote Season, that Bud and Bloom forth Brings

Original Text
Nott, George Fred., ed. The Works of Henry Howard earl of Surrey and of Sir Thomas Wyatt the elder. London: Longman, 1815-16. 2 vols. PR 2370 A1 1815 ROBA.
1The soote season, that bud and bloom forth brings,
2With green hath clad the hill and eke the vale;
3The nightingale with feathers new she sings,
4The turtle to her make hath told her tale.
5Summer is come, for every spray now springs,
6The hart hath hung his old head on the pale,
7The buck in brake his winter coat he flings,
8The fishes float with new repaired scale,
9The adder all her slough away she slings,
10The swift swallow pursueth the flyës smale,
11The busy bee her honey now she mings--
12Winter is worn that was the flowers' bale.
13And thus I see, among these pleasant things
14Each care decays, and yet my sorrow springs.

Notes

1] Tottel's title: "Description of Spring, wherin eche thing renewes, saue onelie the louer." Adapted from Petrarch's 310th (269th) sonnet (in some editions the 42nd sonetto in Morte). Surrey's spring is English rather than Italian.
soote: sweet. Back to Line
2] eke: also. Back to Line
4] turtle: turtle dove.
make: mate. Back to Line
10] Cf. Chaucer, Parlement of Foules, 353: "The swallow, murderer of the bees smale." Back to Line
11] mings: mingles, mixes. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1557
RPO poem Editors
F. D. Hoeniger
RPO Edition
3RP 1.13.
Rhyme
ababababababaa
Form
sonnet