Ancient Music

Ancient Music

Original Text
Ezra Pound, "Poems," Blast 2 (London, July 1915): 20. See also Ezra Pound's Poetry and Prose: Contributions to Periodicals, prefaced and arranged by Lea Baechler, A. Walton Litz, and James Longenbach (New York and London: Garland, 1991), II (1915-1917): 95. PS 3531 O82A6 1991 Robarts Library.
3Raineth drop and staineth slop,
4And how the wind doth ramm!
5            Sing: Goddamm.
6Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
7An ague hath my ham.
8        Damm you; Sing: Goddamm.
9Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
10        So 'gainst the winter's balm.
11Sing goddamm, damm, sing goddamm,
12Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.

Notes

1] "Note.--This is not folk music, but Dr. Ker writes that the tune is found under the latin words of a very ancient canon." (Pound's note.) Pound is parodying the Middle English lyric "Sumer is icumen in," and his reference to W. P. Ker (1855-1923) and to the source Ker discovered, shows an admiration for classical forms. Back to Line
2] Lhude: a pun of "loud" and "lewd." Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1915
Publication Notes
See Gallup C194
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1998.