I have a young sister

I have a young sister, far beyond the sea
many be the druries that she sent me

she sent me the cherry without any stone
and so she did the dove without any bone

she sent me the briar without any rind
she bade me love my leman without longing

how should any cherry be without stone
and how should any dove be without bone

how should any briar be without rind
how should any love my leman without longing

when the cherry was a flower then it had no stone
when the dove was an egg then had it no bone

when the briar was unbred then it had no rind
when the maiden hath that she loveth then she is without longing

ANON (circa early 15th century English song)

druries: love-gifts leman: sweetheart unbred: unborn

One of my favourite poems, so replete with sisterly love and understanding of love requited. I found it in a book of poems which a friend gave to me of poems that had been displayed in the London Underground.