French Formes Fixes for a Fairy Tale Frog

Rondeau.

My Princess, why balk at kissing
hideous frogs?
Their lips are as sweet as power.
Amidst all the painful hissing,
flattery slogs.
My Princess, why balk at kissing
hideous frogs?
The worship, the gifts you're missing
wait in the bogs
for you and your half-built tower.
My Princess, why balk at kissing
hideous frogs?
Their lips are as sweet as power.

As many as you can gather
is what you need,
the faster to build your plunder,
for out of the slime, they slather,
pander, and cede.
As many as you can gather
is what you need.
Unless there's a man you'd rather
rescue than bleed,
kiss them and steal their wonder.
As many as you can gather
is what you need,
the faster to build your plunder.


Ballade.

If you look deep into his golden eyes,
you might decide he's really rather cute.
When he looks up and sighs one of those sighs,
you may still argue, but your fears are moot;
no one on earth believes that he's a brute.
Test him with whims, and see how hard he tries,
and know that when his need for you has gone,
you'll wish you'd listened and had followed suit,
though he is good and may remain your pawn.


Virelai.

Motivation to do right
often issues from the fright
that you feel when others might
learn if you are false or true.

Also, if you're in the sight
of someone quite
powerful, the things you do

may get you rewards, or bright,
commending light,
or a crowd that worships you.

(I might also say: to fight
for what's good can shorten night,
gladden you, put fear to flight--
but these are, you think, your due...)

Motivation to do right
often issues from the fright
that you feel when others might
learn if you are false or true.