Sonnets Poems (Rondeaus)

RONDEAU 1
Behold love, thy power how she despiseth : My great pain, how little she regardeth The holy oath, whereof she taketh no cure Broken she hath : and yet she bideth sure Right at her ease, and little she dreadeth. Weaponed thou art, and she unarmed sitteth To thee disdainful her life she leadeth : To me spiteful without cause or measure. Behold love. I am in hold : if pity thee moveth, Go bend thy bow, that stony hearts breaketh, And with some stroke revenge the displeasure Of thee and him, that sorrow doth endure, And as his lord thee lowly entreateth. Behold love. Behold love, thy power how she dispiseth : My great payne, how litle she regardeth The holy oth, wherof she taketh no cure Broken she hath : and yet she bideth sure Right at her ease, and litle she dredeth. Wepened thou art, and she unarmed sitteth To the disdaynfull her liff she ledeth : To me spitefull without cause or mesur. Behold love. I ame in hold : if pitie the meveth, Goo bend thy bowe, that stony hertes breketh, And with some stroke revenge the displeasur Of the and him, that sorrowe doeth endur, And as his lorde the lowly entreateth. Behold love.

NOTES
no cure = no care. she bideth sure = she is unaffected, untroubled. To thee disdainful = being disdainful of you. I am in hold = I am held securely (by her). And as his lord thee lowly entreateth = and entreats you humbly as his lord. The subject is 'him, that sorrow doth endure'.