Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind 

            As the temperature in Delhi fell to 2.4 degrees on 30^th December 2019 and made DelhiItes shiver because such a cold winter had repeated itself after a lapse of 119 years, I was suddenly reminded of a song recited by Amiens, a singer in the play ‘AS YOU LIKE IT’ written by the greatest English playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) between the end of 1598 and the middle of 1600.

                The song which is reproduced below points towards the eternal reality:     “That the wind can be unkind and blow strong but it isn’t as cruel as human society.’ 

The text of the song reads as follows:

            “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 friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:

            Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

            This life is most jolly.

            Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

            That dost not bite so nigh

            As benefits forgot:

            Though thou the waters warp,

            Thy sting is not so sharp

            As friend remember’d not.

            Heigh-ho! Sing, heigh-ho! “

              

31^st December 2019                                                        G. R. KANWAL