april showers

April 9, 2010 7:57 AM

does anyone know where the saying "april showers bring may flowers" originated from? is it from an old poem?
posted by matt755811 to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

I think it's just a nursery rhyme......at least, I've seen it in several nursery rhyme books throughout the years. I don't know if there are any more determinable origins for it than for any other nursery rhymes.


March winds and April showers
bring forth May flowers.
Red sky at night,
shepherd's delight;
Red sky at morning,
shepherd's warning.
posted by zizzle at 8:07 AM on April 9, 2010

An English poet named Thomas Tusser published a collection of poems and sayings in 1557 called "A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry". The way he wrote it was,

"Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers."

Tusser was the origin of many sayings still used today like "A fool and his money are soon parted."
posted by inturnaround at 8:07 AM on April 9, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Canterbury Tales (late 14th century) begins:

Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

So, the poetic thought predates Tusser.
posted by paulg at 8:58 AM on April 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

I thought it was from the Bugs Bunny cartoon, where Bugs is lathering up in the shower singing "Though April showers may come your way,/They bring the flowers that bloom in May." Then the shower suddenly shuts off because of the highway constuction, and all manner of hilarity ensues.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 10:16 AM on April 9, 2010

Q: April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

A: Pilgrims
posted by bendy at 11:31 AM on April 9, 2010 [1 favorite]