The Cherrie and the Slaye

poem by Montgomerie

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June 24, 2026

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"The Cherrie and the Slaye" is an allegorical poem by Alexander Montgomerie, a Scottish poet of the late 16th century. The poem, first printed in 1597, depicts the poet's internal struggle. He faces a choice between striving for the noble cherry tree, representing a higher aspiration, or settling for the more easily attainable sloe bush at his feet. This dilemma leads to a debate with personified figures such as Danger, Dreid, Reason, Curage, and Dispaire. The poem's structure and themes are characteristic of medieval allegories, though Montgomerie's descriptions offer a fresh perspective. "The Cherrie and the Slaye" was popular and reprinted numerous times, influencing later poets like Robert Burns.1

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Alexander Montgomerie
…his best known poem, “The Cherrie and the Slaye,” was reprinted many times. This poem, first printed in 1597 and later enlarged, is an allegory in the medieval manner, fresh in its descriptions but conventional in its May-morning setting. The poet’s dilemma—whether to struggle toward the noble cherry tree on…
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…his best known poem, “The Cherrie and the Slaye,” was reprinted many times. This poem, first printed in 1597 and later enlarged, is an allegory in the medieval manner, fresh in its descriptions but conventional in its May-morning setting. The poet’s dilemma—whether to struggle toward the noble cherry tree on…
Read More