My Eyes Have Seen and Chosen by Meinloh of Sevelingen

My eyes have seen and chosen     for me a handsome youth
And other women envy     my fortune but, in truth,
I only seek to show him     that I am sweet and kind
and to this end give over     my heart and all my mind.
Whoever held his favor     before he was my own
has lost him with good reason,
yet I’ll feel only sorrow     to see her stand alone.

From: Walsøe-Engel, Ingrid (ed.), German Poetry from the Beginnings to 1750, 1992, Continuum: New York, p. 21.
(https://books.google.com.au/books?id=zB7K9EVCqfkC)

Date: 12^th century (original); 1992 (translation)

By: Meinloh of Sevelingen (12^th century)

Translated by: J. W. Thomas (19??- )

Tags: 12th century, 1992, j w thomas, meinloh of sevelingen, my eyes have seen and chosen for me a handsome youth, poetry