Merry Margaret / John Skelton

To Mistress Margaret Hussey

     Merry Margaret,
          As midsummer flower,
      Gentle as falcon
      Or hawk of the tower:
With solace and gladness,
Much mirth and no madness,
All good and no badness;
          So joyously,
          So maidenly,
          So womanly
          Her demeaning
          In every thing,
          Far, far passing
          That I can indite,
          Or suffice to write
Of Merry Margaret
      As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.
      As patient and still
And as full of good will
As fair Isaphill,
Coriander,
Sweet pomander,
Good Cassander,
Steadfast of thought,
Well made, well wrought,
Far may be sought
Ere that ye can find
So courteous, so kind
As Merry Margaret,
      This midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.

~~
John Skelton
circa 1511

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

John Skelton biography