Rondeau Poems

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

TitleAuthorType of Poem
Ballade (Double Refrain) Of Midsummer Days And Nights - To W. HWilliam Ernest HenleyRondeau
Ballade Made In The Hot Weather - To C. MWilliam Ernest HenleyRondeau
Ballade Of Dead Actors - I. M. Edward John Henley (1861-1898)William Ernest HenleyRondeau
Ballade Of TruismsWilliam Ernest HenleyRondeau
Before SunsetAlgernon Charles SwinburneRondeau
BenedictionAlgernon Charles SwinburneRondeau
Beside The Idle Summer SeaWilliam Ernest HenleyRondeau
BeyondErnest Christopher DowsonRondeau
Birth and DeathAlgernon Charles SwinburneRondeau
Cavalier Tunes - II - Give A RouseRobert BrowningRondeau

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.