Pierre de Ronsard
Ronsard (1524-1585) was one of the stars of the Pléiade, French
humanists who were inspired by classical culture, but sought to create
a French literature. His poetry is wonderfully musical, sensuous, pagan,
romantic. Although a cleric in minor orders, he was constantly celebrating
the beauties and sorrows of his various loves. He was patronized by Charles
IX and wrote pieces for some of Catherine de' Medici's court pageants,
but he was much more than a royal apologist.
These poems were written near the end of his life, when he fell in love
with the much younger Hélène, a lady-in-waiting to Catherine
de' Medici who kept him dangling but refused his passion for her. Sorrow
is good for poets, as these poems testify.
selections from Sonnets pour Hélène,
published 1578:
Si c’est aimer...
L'autre jour que j'estois sur le haut d'un degré
Je ne veux comparer tes beautez à la Lune
Vous estes le bouquet de vostre bouquet mesme
Quand vous serez bien vieille...
More poems and information:
There are more poems by Ronsard available at the Florilege
collection of French poetry.
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