I Have a Yong Suster (Medieval English Riddle-Poem, circa 1430)
translation by Michael R. Burch
I have a young sister
Far beyond the sea;
Many are the keepsakes
That she sent me.
She sent me the cherry
Without any stone;
And likewise the dove
Without any bone.
She sent me the briar
Without any skin;
She bade me love my lover
Without longing.
How should any cherry
Be without a stone?
And how should any dove
Be without a bone?
How should any briar
Be without a skin?
How should I love my lover
Without longing?
When the cherry was a flower,
Then it had no stone;
When the dove was an egg,
Then it had no bone.
When the briar was unborn,
Then it had no skin;
And when a maiden has her mate,
She is without longing!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Worthy poem to translate! Thank you for finding and posting. Really a wonderful poem and a wonderful translation.
Thanks, I'm glad you like it. The original author was very clever.