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And to think, people told me that there was no reason to buy the books for a Lowe class. Had I listened to them, I would have totally missed out on this little gem of song. Let's hear it for Troubadoring it up!

A Song of Nothing
~William, Count of Poitou (1071-1127 AD)

Farai un vers de dreyt nien:
Non er de me ni d'autra gen,
Non er d'amor ni de joven,
Ni de ren au,
Qu'emans fo trobatz en durmen
Sobre chevau.

I'll make some verses just for fun
Not about me nor any one,
Nor deeds that noble knights have done
Nor love's ado: -
I made them riding in the sun
(My horse helped, too.)

When I was born I cannot say:
I am not sad, I am not gay,
I am not stiff nor degage;
What can I do?
Long since enchanted by a fay
Star-touched I grew.

Dreaming for living I mistake
Unless I'm told when I'm awake.
My heart is sad and night to break
With bitter rue-
And I don't care three crumbs of cake
Or even two.
I have a lady, who or where
I cannot tell you, but I swear
She treats me neither ill nor fair
But I'm not blue
Just so the Normans stay up there
Out of Poitou.

I have not seen yet I adore
The distant love, she sets no store
By what I think and furthermore
('Tis sad but true)
Others there are, some three or four,
I'm faithful to.

So ill I am that death I fear;
I nothing know but what I hear;
I hope there is a doctor here,
No matter who.
If he can cure me I'll pay dear,
If not, he’s through.

I've made the verse; if you'll allow
I think I'll send it off right now
To one who'll pass it on somehow
Up in Anjou;
He'd tell me what it means, I vow,
If he but knew.


I think that the Grimey Soules might have missed their musical era. We totally could have made it on the Singers and Song Writers of the Late Middle Ages compilation album. On that note, be on the look out for a GS cover of this song that might or might not be in the works--time and motivation pending.