Rondel Of Merciless Beauty Poem by Geoffrey Chaucer

Rondel Of Merciless Beauty

Rating: 3.7


Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;
Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Only your word will heal the injury
To my hurt heart, while yet the wound is clean -
Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene.

Upon my word, I tell you faithfully
Through life and after death you are my queen;
For with my death the whole truth shall be seen.
Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;
Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Rondel Of Merciless Beauty
COMMENTS OF THE POEM

What wonderful beautiful eyes, we could search all our lives, and never find such eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul, what an exceptional soul.

7 8 Reply
Carlos Echeverria 17 May 2012

I love reading anything by Chaucer, but he was mare than his Canterbury Tales; his skills weren't limited to poetic travails. He was a businessman, diplomat, and courtier, dealing with wartime rival France with all that entails. I love reading anything by Chaucer, but he was more than his Canterbury Tales. I recommend a book by his biographer Marchette Gaylor Chute (try Amazon sales if your local bookstore fails) . I love reading anything by Chaucer, but he was more than his Canterbury Tales; his skills weren't limited to poetic travails.

11 3 Reply
Michael Pruchnicki 17 May 2009

A rondel is written to demonstrate a poet's skill in composing a difficult French verse form. Those who take it to heart are missing the fun of the whole thing. The poet is using such a form as a practice in prosody. Concentrate on the rime-scheme and the repetition of certain lines in the refrain. It's similar to a problem in math, only words replace numbers! Don't get all emotional and lose your power of speaking, please! Enjoy it for what it is - a 14th century Middle English poem modeled on a French love poem!

7 6 Reply
Csdb Kind 17 May 2009

sick of death... give me truth

5 7 Reply
Ramesh T A 17 May 2010

What is the power of beautiful eyes? Chaucer has beautifully expressed about it in this nice poem!

5 4 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 10 August 2023

THREE: and prove the misery he has gone through to his lover. It is at this time that it becomes evident that the poet's lover was separated from him owing to her death and thus it is once that he dies that he can meet her again in the other world

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 10 August 2023

TWO: The only wish that he carries in his heart is to meet his lover and let her rule his heart forever. The pain of her separation has become so much a part of his existence that he is ready to face death .

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 10 August 2023

ONE: He again promises saying" Upon my word, I tell you faithfully" that she is the one who shall be the queen of her heart for lifetime and even after he dies. This suggests the depth of his love which is not ready to stay without his lover.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 10 August 2023

Geoffrey Chaucer writes the most beautiful poems, here is truly a Masterpiece! Top Marks for his beautiful love poem and so clearly created, sharply worded, truly a great Poet of the medieval.

0 0 Reply
Lisa Flores 29 November 2021

Pretty.

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