Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FOOL'S SONG, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When swallows lay their eggs in snow
Last Line: Till when let your wisdom be dumb, etc.
Subject(s): Fools; Singing & Singers; Wisdom; Idiots; Songs


WHEN swallows lay their eggs in snow,
And geese in wheat-ears build their nests;
When roasted crabs a-hunting go,
And cats can laugh at gossips' jests;
When law and conscience are akin,
And pigs are learnt by note to squeak;
Your worship then shall stroke your chin,
And teach an owl to whistle Greek.

Till when let your wisdom be dumb;
For say, man of Gotham,
What is this world?
A tetotum,
By the finger of Folly twirled;
With a hey-go-up, and about we come;
While the sun a good post-horse is found,
So merrily we'll run round.

When frost, and snow, and hail, and rain,
Are guided by the Almanack;
When Lapland wizards can explain
How many stars will fill a sack;
When courtiers hate to be preferred,
And pearls are made of whitings' eyes;
Instructed by your worship's beard,
The world shall merry be and wise.

Till when let your wisdom be dumb, etc.





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