"Blow, blow, thou winter wind" - By William Shakespeare

       "Blow, blow, thou winter wind"

          By: William Shakespeare

     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 remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly...

Analysis:

   This Poem is from Shakespeare's play As You Like It. It is actually thought the poem is meant as more of a song, sung by Amiens. He is a lord who chose to follow Duke Senior, who was banished by his brother. 

   The song is about of the ways of the world, and the ingratitude and rudeness of man and people in general. This is described by the beginning of the poem, where Shakespeare speaks of the how no matter how cold the winter winds blow, they will never bite as bad as the words of men.

   After that Amiens comments on how the winter wind may freeze him, but will never affect as him as bad as the behavior of his friends. The poet spites kindness and friendship in the world as fake and passing when genuine.

   But despite all this, the poet finishes by saying that life is wonderful and great, and should be enjoyed to the greatest extent. 

   This poem uses a great deal of Scansion as it is a song written by William Shakespeare, who was well know for the Iambic Pentameter he used in many of his poems, including this one. There is also rhyme present in between many of the lines. "Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

   That dost not bite so nigh" is a prime example of this.