Bogurodzica, or 'Mother of God,' is the earliest extant literary text in Polish (as opposed to many examples of even earlier Latin works). It probably dates back to the 13th c., and reflects one of the facets of St. Mary, that of the intercessor between humanity and God.

Another traditional function of Mary, the Mater dolorosa, can be found in a whole series of similar works, of which the 14th-century Lament of Our Lady is but an example. Note the emphasis on the human frailty of both the Mother and the Son.

But, contrarily to the popular stereotype, the Middle Ages were not all about the matters of the spirit. The body was there too, as evidenced by lay lyrics such as Kallimach's sexually ambiguous To Jacyntus Wawrzyniec.