I sing of a maiden
That is makeles:
King of all kings
To her son she ches.
He came al so stille
There his moder was,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the grass.
He came al so stille
To his moder's bour,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the flour.
He came al so stille
There his moder lay,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the spray.
Moder and maiden
Was never none but she:
Well may such a lady
Goddes moder be.
Background to this poem
This lyric poem is anonymous - no author's name survives. It is preserved in a single manuscript, British Library Sloane MS 2593, which dates to the early 15th century. The poem is written in Middle English, and scholars believe it was composed with a North‑East Anglian or Norfolk dialect origin. As the author is unknown, the poem invites readers simply to engage with its spiritual and poetic resonance without knowing the background of its author.
Set as a praise to the Virgin Mary, the poem begins "I sing of a maiden that is makeles" and then evokes the image of her son arriving "as dew in Aprille, that falleth on the grass." The metaphor of dew in April suggests both freshness and purity, and the silent descent of divine grace. According to Mark McGuinness, the original Middle English term "makeles" carries the layered meaning of "matchless," "mate‑less" and "unparalleled," extending the sense of Mary's unique status.
Historically, the poem belongs to a tradition of medieval Marian lyrics and carols - short verses designed to be sung or recited in a devotional or communal context. Its manuscript context suggests it may have belonged to a collection of songs and lyrics used within a monastic or ecclesiastical environment, though as this Celtic Studies Resources article suggests, the precise origin remains uncertain. Over time, though the original music is lost, the text has inspired many modern composers (Benjamin Britten, for example) to set it to new music in 20th‑century choral works.
When it comes to poetic analysis, this poem is remarkably restrained yet deeply evocative. The opening lines frame Mary as a singular figure ("that is makeles") and then move into three closely parallel stanzas: "He came also still ... as dew in Aprille ... that falleth on the grass / ... on the flower / ... on the spray." This repetition, subtle variation and the imagery of dew (gentle, silent, natural) convey both the mystery of the Incarnation and an intimate sense of divine visitation. The simplicity of form makes the message more immediate; Mary, mother and maiden both, receives the Son of Kings in stillness and humility. The poem thus invites reflection on the divine entering the everyday world - much like dew quietly touching grass and blossoms.