The rondeau is a three-stanza poem consisting of approximately ten to fifteen lines total, generally with either eight syllables per line or ten. Its distinctive features are the use of only two rhymes throughout the entire poem and a half-line refrain which begins the first stanza's first line and forms the entirety of the second and third stanza's last lines. The rhyme scheme varies with the number of lines. A typical rhyme scheme for a fifteen-line rondeau is aabba aabC aabbaC, where C represents the first half of the rondeau's first line. The refrain does not rhyme with anything else in the poem.
Spirited from the Guf
Spirited from the Guf, two precious lives.
On winged angels, from heaven derived.
Twice, for me, did joyous herald bells ring
one babe in winter and one babe in spring.
Their luminous souls, my spirit revived.
My winter surprise did swiftly arrive.
the other so slowly, spring was contrived.
For each little soul, sweet sparrows did sing
spirited from the Guf.
Our lives, they were dull, and somewhat deprived
before these children brought joy to our lives.
Now, my sated heart, does gleefully cling
to infinite love these cherubs did bring.
Because of our love, their souls will survive.
spirited from the Guf.
©2008 Dawn Slanker
Dawn Slanker
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/spirited-from-the-guf-a-rondeau/
