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Poetic form · Strict closed forms · French

Rondeau.

A rondeau is a structured French poetic form that relies on two rhymes and a repeated rentrement — a brief phrase taken from the poem's opening and placed, unrhymed, at the end of the second and third stanzas. Typically, a classic rondeau consists of fifteen lines divided into three stanzas: five lines, three lines, and seven lines (sometimes presented as five, three, five, two, depending on the edition). The poem exclusively employs two rhymes throughout, designated as A and B. The rentrement isn't a full line; it's the first word or a few words from the opening line, serving as an echo or punchline at the conclusion of stanzas two and three.

7 poems indexed7 annotatedPublic-domain corpus

Tradition

This form originated in medieval France, where poets like Clément Marot honed it in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It made its way into English, most notably through Leigh Hunt's work and later by Paul Laurence Dunbar, who adeptly utilized it in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The rondeau endures because its rentrement introduces a structural irony: the same phrase that begins the poem in one emotional context reappears at the end in a different light. The strict rhyme scheme necessitates brevity, which in turn demands precision. You can't afford to be vague in fifteen lines with just two rhymes. That challenge is precisely what makes the form appealing to try.

Anatomy & implementation

Famous examples of the Rondeau

OpeningWe Wear the Mask

Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask.

Why it works

The closing "We wear the mask" here is the rentrement in action — pulled verbatim from the poem's opening line and dropped, unrhymed, at the end of the second stanza, functioning as the structural echo that defines the rondeau form. Its brevity and isolation on its own line, surrounded by the A-rhyme couplet above it, show exactly how the rentrement punctuates rather than continues the rhyme scheme.

Passage 2In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Why it works

McCrae's poem uses the rondeau structure, with the refrain 'In Flanders fields' appearing at the end of the second and third stanzas. The opening quintet sets up the A rhyme (blow / row / below) and B rhyme (sky / fly) in a way that gives the landscape a feeling of both expansiveness and confinement. By the time 'In Flanders fields' reappears at the end, the phrase has transformed from a pastoral image into what feels like a command — showcasing the effectiveness of the form's repetition.

Passage 3The Rondel

With her own tresses bound and found her fair, Kissing her hair.

Why it works

These closing lines of the first stanza show the rentrement in action: "Kissing her hair" is lifted verbatim from the poem's opening line and returned here (and again at the close of stanza two) as a brief, indented refrain — unrhymed with the couplet it follows ("fair" completes the A-rhyme scheme, while "Kissing her hair" stands apart), functioning as the structural echo that defines the rondeau form.

Passage 4By Charles D'Orleans

And Time throws off his cloak again Of ermined frost, and wind, and rain.

Why it works

These two lines are the rentrement in action: the exact opening phrase "Now Time throws off his cloak again / Of ermined frost, and wind, and rain" is truncated and reinserted verbatim, unrhymed with the stanza it closes, at the end of both the second and third stanzas — the defining structural signature of the rondeau form.

Passage 5Oliver Basselin

But the poet's memory here Of the landscape makes a part; Like the river, swift and clear, Flows his song through many a heart; Haunting still That ancient mill, In the Valley of the Vire.

Why it works

The closing stanza clinches the rondeau's defining structural feature: "In the Valley of the Vire" — the rentrement drawn verbatim from the poem's opening line — returns as the final phrase, unrhymed against the stanza's dominant A/B scheme, functioning as both structural echo and emotional punchline that ties the poem's end back to its beginning.

Passage 6On Receiving a Copy of Mr. Austin Dobson's 'old World Idylls'

Hush! my parched ears what runnels slake? Is a thrush gurgling from the brake? Has Spring, on all the breezes blown, At length arrived?

Why it works

The closing words "At length arrived?" are the rentrement — lifted verbatim from the poem's opening line — used here unrhymed to cap the second stanza (lines 6–9), demonstrating the rondeau's defining structural device: the short, repeated phrase that echoes the beginning and functions as both refrain and pivot within the strict two-rhyme (A/B) scheme.

ClosureA Rhyme

Babe, if rhyme be none For that sweet small word Babe, the sweetest one Ever heard,

Why it works

This opening stanza establishes the rondeau's two rhymes (none/one = A; word/heard = B) and, crucially, introduces "Babe" — the rentrement that will be lifted from this first line and placed, unrhymed, as the closing echo at the end of later stanzas, exactly as the form demands.

How to spot rondeau

Here’s a more humanized version of your text:

When identifying a rondeau, look for these structural fingerprints:

  1. Fifteen lines total, usually arranged as a quintet (5 lines), a tercet (3 lines), and a sestet or septet (6–7 lines). Some editions present it as 5-3-5-2.
  2. Only two rhymes are used throughout the poem. Each line ends with either the A rhyme or the B rhyme, without exceptions.
  3. A rentrement—a short, unrhymed phrase taken directly from the opening of the first line—shows up at the end of the second stanza and again at the end of the third. It doesn’t rhyme with the surrounding lines; it stands out.
  4. The rhyme scheme follows: AABBA / AAB+R / AABBA+R, where R denotes the rentrement.
  5. The rentrement is partial, meaning it’s not a fully repeated line. It generally consists of the first hemistich—the initial two to five words—of the opening line.
  6. A tonal or argumentative shift often happens between the second and third stanzas, making the rentrement's final appearance feel different from its first.

How to write rondeau

Here’s a more humanized version of your instructions:

Follow these steps when drafting a rondeau:

  1. Start with your opening line and stick to it. These first few words form your rentrement, so they should carry emotional weight on their own. A lackluster opener will lead to a lackluster ending.
  2. Choose your two rhyme sounds before writing a second line. Opt for sounds that are rich in English — ones that have plenty of natural rhymes. Narrow rhyme sounds will limit you by the tenth line.
  3. Draft the opening quintet (AABBA). This stanza introduces your theme, establishes both rhymes, and sets the emotional tone. Think of it as the first paragraph of an argument.
  4. Write the tercet (AAB + rentrement). You’ll have three lines plus the rentrement here. This rentrement should feel like a pause or a pivot — it’s the poem taking a breath.
  5. Compose the final stanza (AABBA + rentrement). This part is the most challenging. You need to expand or complicate what the first two stanzas set up, and then let the rentrement bring everything to a close. The rentrement shouldn’t just repeat; it should provide new context.
  6. Avoid filler rhymes. With only two rhyme sounds across fifteen lines, every rhyme word stands out. A weak rhyme sticks out like a sore thumb.
  7. Read it aloud before revising. The rhythm of the rentrement should feel inevitable, not tacked on. If it sounds awkward, adjust the preceding line to create a natural pause before it.

Summary of Changes Made:

  • Used simpler, more conversational language.
  • Added slight variations in sentence structure for a more natural flow.
  • Maintained the original meaning and markdown structure.

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From the corpus

Famous rondeaus.

Inquiries

What is the rentrement, exactly?

The rentrement is a brief phrase — typically the first two to five words of the poem's opening line — that reoccurs at the end of the second and third stanzas. It doesn't rhyme with the surrounding lines. While it acts like a refrain, it’s only a partial one, and its strength lies in how its meaning shifts with each appearance based on the changing context.

Is the rondeau the same as the rondel or the roundel?

No, but they are connected. The rondel is the oldest form, usually consisting of fourteen lines with two rhymes, featuring full-line refrains instead of a partial rentrement. The roundel is Algernon Swinburne's English version — it has eleven lines, with a refrain derived from the first line that rhymes with the B lines. The rondeau is the most widely used of the three in English and has the strictest regulations regarding the partial rentrement.

Who are the most important English-language practitioners of the rondeau?

Paul Laurence Dunbar is the most renowned poet of the English-language rondeau, with 'We Wear the Mask' showcasing the form at its finest. Leigh Hunt brought it into the spotlight during the Romantic era with 'Jenny Kiss'd Me.' John McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' introduced it to a wider audience during World War One. In the French tradition, Clément Marot and Charles d'Orléans are considered the masters of this poetic form.

Does the rondeau have to be in iambic tetrameter?

No, but iambic tetrameter is the most common meter in English rondeaux because its four-beat line suits the form's concise, epigrammatic style. The French tradition used octosyllabic lines, which align closely with English iambic tetrameter. While you can write a rondeau in pentameter or even free meter, the shorter line typically adds more snap to the rentrement.

What is the most common mistake writers make with the rondeau?

Treating the rentrement as decoration instead of an argument. If the closing phrase doesn’t change in meaning or emotional impact between its first and second appearances, it’s merely repeating itself without purpose. The rentrement must justify its return. The entire poem should be crafted so that the last appearance of those opening words feels like a revelation, not just a reminder.

Can the rentrement be a full line instead of a partial one?

Technically, no — a complete repeated line turns the poem into a rondel or a triolet, rather than a rondeau. The defining characteristic that sets the rondeau apart from its relatives is the partial rentrement. However, some poets have pushed the boundaries of this convention, and editors often have differing opinions on where that line should be drawn. If you're writing for a formal competition or submission, stick to the partial rentrement.

Is the rondeau still written today?

Yes. The rondeau has always been part of formal poetry, and the recent resurgence of interest in traditional forms has led to its increased use again. Poets in the New Formalist movement in the United States and the strong-forms tradition in the UK have been writing rondeaux over the past few decades. Its concise structure and inherent irony in the rentrement make it particularly fitting for political themes and elegies.