Types Of Poem Forms - French Chant Royal Poems

The Chant Royal fixed poem (aka the Grand Ballade), is as its less common name of "Grand Ballade" hints at -- a spin-off of the French Ballade fixed poem form. This poem form is still another of the Medieval poem forms that became so popular both then and in later revivals of the form. Make no mistake writing a Chant Royal is no small undertaking. While not as complex as the Sestina poem form, it is somewhat of a thorny undertaking, especially the first time you write one. Part of the explanation for its difficulty is that no rhyming word can ever be used more than once.

It is believed that Christine de Pizan, who in any time period was an amazing female author and poet – is credited by some scholars for introducing this form of poetry into French society sometime during the 14^th century. The Chant Royal was “the favored” form of poetry at the time in Northern France, while at the same time the Sestina poem form was more popular in the South of France. Any student of feminine history will most likely name her as the “first” feminist and it is easy to see how the Chant Royal poem was ideal for some of the imposing or epic subject matter that she tackled.

No doubt due to its complexity the French Chant Royal fixed poem form eventually fell out of favor, but it did have several revivals in popularity. The most notable of which was in the 19^th century when Charles d’Orleans brought it and other French poem forms to England. Still later you can see Chant Royal influences in the works of such poets as Longfellow and Walt Whitman.

• Five stanzas
• Eleven lines in each stanza
• Five or seven line Envoi
• Envoi often begins with addressing itself to royalty audience, such as "Prince"
• Standard total length sixty to sixty-two lines (depending upon Envoi line choice)
• Only five rhymes in entire Chant Royal
• Subject matter is almost always historical or important
• No rhyming word is used twice

All stanzas follow the same format:

1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5R

The Envoi varies in terms of length, either being a five line or seven line Envoi in the format of:

4, 4, 5, 4, 5R (for the five line Envoi)

or

3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5R (for the seven line Envoi)

Note: One hint I would give anyone aspiring to write a Chant Royal is to be real clear on not only your subject matter, but also the five terminal (ending words) you choose for your rhyme scheme. This is particularly true of line four in that you must have at least thirty-six to thirty-eight rhyming words that work with your story line.

Below is an example of my own failed attempt to write a Chant Royal. I knew what I wanted to say but I will have to attempt to rewrite this poem a number of times until I hit upon the best rhyming words to convey my message.

This is La prairie tremblante with its elusive moods and violent bent

Its people know the meaning of survival

Despite many of a Le Ouragan their enduring spirit never spent

In 1785 birds streaked, circled, and plunged, shouting their arrival

Cries mingled with the sound of the Gulf, muffling out the fears of them all

Earlier Acadien deportees frantically searched among faces too changed for recall

L'ouisiane underwater forests plagued with mosquitoes and yellow fever

Spanish moss upon cypress trees spun by a mysterious weaver

Into this new land which they were to empeople

Where alligators, snakes, and spiders all made them quaver

This place would have buried a lesser people.



Plucked from their original Acadian homes, over ten thousand went

Suffering grievously years of imprisonment at the hands of their arch-rival

Old and young dying on voyage to unknown destinations sent

No friends, money, food, only the clothing they wore allowed by their rival

Husbands and wives, parents and children separated become one wailing wall

Unaware most were never to meet again on earth was about to befall

Sold as indenture servants, epidemics, thousands drown, smallpox griever

With a bounty on the scalps of the men and boys, the situation could not be graver

Not even the prayers and protection could be found beneath their Catholic steeple

Over half would soon be dead, still others prisoners of war seemingly forever

This place would have buried a lesser people.

1

2

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

4

This place would have buried a lesser people.

1

2

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

4

This place would have buried a lesser people.

1

2

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

4

This place would have buried a lesser people.

Envoi

Your Majesty, King Charles III, you freed generations from the enslaver

Twenty-nine years of wandering however

Would prove not to be so simple

We broke the Spanish crown who only wanted to be our savior

This place would have buried a lesser people.

Jerilee Wei © 2011

Chant royal chrétien by Clément Marot

Chant Royal Of High Virtue by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch

The Dance of Death "Contra vim Mortis Non est medicamen in hortis" by Austin Dobson