Sumer is icumen in
Voicing: SATBBB, or 6 equal voices
| Sumer is icumen in, | Sumer=summer; icumen=coming |
| Lhude sing cuccu; | lhude=loud, cuccu=cuckoo |
| Groweth sed and bloweth med | sed=seed, med=meadow |
| And springeth the wude nu. | springeth=revives, wude=woods, nu=now |
| Sing cuccu! | |
| Awe bleateth after lomb, | awe=ewe, lomb=lamb |
| Lhouth after calve cu; | lhouth=lows (moos), calve=calf, cu=cow |
| Bullock sterteth, bucke verteth; | sterteth=jumps, bucke=?buck, verteth=passes gas |
| Murie sing cuccu. | murie=merry |
| Cuccu, cuccu, | |
| Wel singes thu, cuccu, | wel=well, thu=thee (you) |
| Ne swik thu naver nu. | swik=be silent, naver=never |
| Sing cuccu nu! Sing cuccu! | |
| Sing cuccu! Sing cuccu nu! |
("Sumer is icumen in" is the lyric of a song of considerable distinction: it is the oldest known canon or round; the oldest known six-part composition; and one of the oldest known pieces in the major mode.)