Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (4) by ANONYMOUS

First Line: "NAY, IVY, NAY!"
Last Line: "THAT CREYE, 'HOW! HOW!'"
Subject(s): HOLLY;IVY;
Nay! Ivy, nay!
It shall not be, iwis:
Let Holy have the maistry,
As the manner is.
Holy stond in the hall
Faire to behold:
Ivy stond without the dore --
She is full sore acold.
Holy and his mery men
They daunsen and they sing;
Ivy and her maidenes
They wepen and they wring.
Ivy hath a kibe --
She caght it with the colde.
So mot they all have ay
That with Ivy hold.
Holy hath beris
As rede as any rose:
The foster, the hunters
Kepe hem fro the doos.
Ivy hath beris
As blake as any slo:
Ther com the owle
And ete hem as she goo.
Holy hath birdes,
A full faire flok:
The nightingale, the poppyinguy,
The gayntil laverok.
Gode Ivy, gode Ivy,
What birdes hast thou?
Non but the owlet
That creye, "How! how!'






Home: PoetryExplorer.net