I had always been puzzled by the medieval British round “Sumer is icumen in.” When sung, the lyric “cuckoo” does not descend a minor third as was the case with composers like Delius, Vivaldi, and Black Forest clockmakers.
But when translated from Middle English, it seems the song is encouraging the bird known as the cuckoo to sing now. Much like how we take the sound of Spring Peepers as a sign of seasonal change, people once associated the cuckoo's clear two-note call with the arrival of summer.
Here in the Great Lakes region, we do have two species of cuckoos. But they are not common, and their single-pitched "cuk-cuk-cuk" calls do not sound like a cuckoo clock. And at least for me, do not evoke joy.
So what is our summer signal?
We know that the summer solstice this year will occur on Friday, June 20. To astronomers, this marks the start of summer. It also marks something else; it is the day the Interlochen Arts Camp faculty return to campus. And as darkness falls, many of us will wander down to the lake... to listen.
When we hear the eerie yet ethereal call of the loon, we will know. And we will merrily sing that "Sumer is a coming in."
