A Flower-piece

By Algernon Charles Swinburne

    Heart's ease or pansy, pleasure or thought,     Which would the picture give us of these?     Surely the heart that conceived it sought     Heart's ease.     Surely by glad and divine degrees     The heart impelling the hand that wrought     Wrought comfort here for a soul's disease.     Deep flowers, with lustre and darkness fraught,     From glass that gleams as the chill still seas     Lean and lend for a heart distraught     Heart's ease.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a compelling exploration of emotions and human struggle, employing the metaphorical language of flora to convey its ideas. The recurring motif of 'heart's ease' - a type of pansy known for its bright colors - becomes a symbol for emotional solace and inner peace. This motif is contrasted with the concepts of pleasure and thought, which might be interpreted as transient distractions from the true pursuit of comfort in one's heart.

The poem's rhythmic structure and repetition of the phrase 'Heart's ease' serves to emphasize this pursuit, making it a focal point around which the other ideas revolve. The language is both rich and somber, suggesting a depth of emotion and a certain gravity in the struggle described. The use of imagery, like 'deep flowers, with lustre and darkness fraught' and 'glass that gleams as the chill still seas', further adds to the complexity of emotions being explored. These elements all contribute to a tone that is at once introspective, hopeful, and slightly melancholic.

In essence, the poem suggests that amidst the tumult of life's pleasures and thoughts, the heart seeks solace - a 'heart's ease' - and that such comfort can be found in the simple, natural beauty of the world, much like the 'deep flowers' and 'chill still seas' described. It's a call to introspection and finding peace within oneself, a theme that resonates profoundly in today's fast-paced world.

Understanding Rondeau

A rondeau is a fixed French form built on two rhymes and a repeating refrain (the rentrement). Its musical return gives the poem a memorable circularity.


Core characteristics of the rondeau:

  • Structure: Traditionally 15 lines in 3 stanzas (5 / 4 / 6 lines).
  • Rhyme & Refrain: Uses only two rhymes (often noted a and b) and a refrain R made from the opening phrase. A common scheme is aabba aabR aabbaR, where R is the short repeated refrain.
  • Refrain (Rentrement): The refrain is usually the poem’s opening phrase (about a quarter to a half line) that returns at the ends of stanzas 2 and 3.
  • Meter: Historically octosyllabic (8 syllables) in French; in English, meter is flexible, but tight rhythm enhances the songlike feel.
  • Tone & Effect: The refrain reframes meaning as it returns—creating irony, deepening emotion, or sharpening focus.
  • Variations: Related forms include the rondelet and rondeau redoublé, which elaborate the refrain and repetition patterns.

In a strong rondeau, the refrain doesn’t just repeat—it evolves; each reappearance casts prior lines in a fresh light.