I. 1. <br />Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly <br />I may the beaute of them not sustene, <br />So wendeth it thorowout my herte kene. <br /> <br />2. <br />And but your words will helen hastely <br />My hertis wound, while that it is grene, <br />Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly. <br /> <br />3. <br />Upon my trouth I sey yow feithfully, <br />That ye ben of my liffe and deth the quene; <br />For with my deth the trouth shal be sene. <br />Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly <br />I may the beaute of them not sustene, <br />So wendeth it thorowout my herte kene. <br /> <br />II. 1. <br />So hath youre beauty fro your herte chased <br />Pitee, that me n'availeth not to pleyn: <br />For daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne. <br /> <br />2. <br />Giltless my deth thus have ye purchased; <br />I sey yow soth, me nedeth not to fayn: <br />So hath your beaute fro your herte chased. <br /> <br />3. <br />Alas, that nature hath in yow compassed <br />So grete beaute, that no man may atteyn <br />To mercy, though he sterve for the peyn. <br />Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly <br />I may the beaute of them not sustene, <br />So wendeth it thorowout my herte kene. <br /> <br />III. 1. <br />Syn I fro love escaped am so fat, <br />I nere thinke to ben in his prison lene; <br />Syn I am fre, I counte hym not a bene. <br /> <br />2. <br />He may answere and sey this and that, <br />I do no fors, I speak ryght as I mene; <br />Syn I fro love escaped am so fat. <br /> <br />3. <br />Love hath my name i-strike out of his sclat, <br />And he is strike out of my bokes clene: <br />For ever mo 'ther' is non other mene, <br />Syn I fro love escaped am so fat.<br /><br />Geoffrey Chaucer<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-rondel-of-merciless-beauty-the-original/
