Rondeau Poems

“Refrain and return—fixed music in a circle of lines.”

TitleAuthorType of Poem
The BalconyCharles BaudelaireRondeau
The Ballad of MelicertesAlgernon Charles SwinburneRondeau
The Ballade Of The Mistletoe BoughEllis Parker ButlerRondeau
The BonfiresRudyard KiplingRondeau
The Crystal-Hunters. (Swiss Air.)Thomas MooreRondeau
The Dawn Is Breaking Oer UsThomas MooreRondeau
The Death of Richard WagnerAlgernon Charles SwinburneRondeau
The Fathers of our FathersMadison Julius CaweinRondeau
The Gods Are Dead?William Ernest HenleyRondeau
The IrreparableCharles BaudelaireRondeau

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.