May and November

	Hail to thee, fair chancel of the greenwood,

	summer month of May, since it is this I long for,

	mighty knight, lover's boon,

4	green-chained master of the wild forests,

	companion of love and birds,

	memory of lovers and their friend,

	messenger of ninescore trysts,

8	affectionate and dignified meeting.

	It is most beneficial, by Mary, that he,

	May, faultless month, is coming

	intent on claiming, warm dignity,

12	conquering every green vale.

	Thick mantle, clothing of highways,

	he would dress every place with his green fabric.

	When he comes after the war of ice,

16	meadow's fortress, thickly woven garment –

	pleasant will be the path below

	where April was (birdsong is my worship) –

	then songs of young birds

20	will come upon oak tops,

	and a cuckoo on every region's height,

	and a songbird and long fine days,

	and white mist before the wind

24	shielding the middle of a valley,

	and bright sky on a fine afternoon,

	and many green trees and fair gossamer,

	and many birds on trees,

28	and fresh leaves on branches of trees,

	and Morfudd my bright girl will be in mind,

	and the thrill of all the escapades of love.

	[May is] nothing like the nasty black month

32	which forbids everyone from making love,

	which causes grim rain and short days

	and wind to strip the trees,

	and sluggishness, dreadful frailty,

36	and a trailing cloak and hail,

	and incites floods and cold

	and brown torrents in streams,

	and roaring in rivers,

40	and daylight inflamed and darkening,

	and a heavy cold sky

	whose colour blots out the moon.

	May he suffer (easy sort of threat)

44	two misfortunes for his discourtesy.