Helouise and Abelard

Helouise and Abelard. An early promise marked and scarred. Beset by shame and low regard. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. Rising stars of catholic creeds. Prayed so long upon their knees. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Met with mind and fierce heart. Of witty joust and pointed dart. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. In holy orders, lock and keys. The games fate played to mock and tease. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Twix't monk and nun, a romance starts. But once begun, soon torn apart. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. Gripped by passion like disease. Fevers flushed by icy freeze. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Hid their love from zealot guards. A ruined vessel smashed to shards. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. Despite their pious, earnest pleas. Left to stew by slow degrees. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Can trace disgrace on map or chart. The distance 'tween castrated parts. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. Could see the forest, not the trees. Dismissed the love of birds and bees. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Undone by envy's cold canard. The prince of peace, the joker's card. Helouise and Abelard. Abelard and Helouise. The sterile martyr's sculptured frieze. To artists, ciphers inspire and please. Abelard and Helouise. Helouise and Abelard. Endorsed by Poesy's mystic bard. For life was cruel and love was hard. Helouise and Abelard.

— Australad, Jun 16, 2010

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: AUS

Critiques

Ravenshakti

15 years 11 months ago

Helouise and Abelard...

This is wonderful! And your theme, is one of my favourite love stories; a true story; so very sad... I love the way this poem flows so smoothly...very mesmerizing. There's a movie inspired by these two timeless lovers; "Ladyhawk"; a movie with a touch of the magickal. Thank you so much for creating this beautiful and bitter-sweet poem, and for reminding me of Helouise and Abelard. Gentle regards, Raven-Shakti

Australad

15 years 10 months ago

Thanks Raven

I haven't seen the film you mentioned so I'll try and track it down for I'm a sucker for a good love story as I believe we all are at heart if we can just tap those feelings and crash through the glass ceilings perhaps revealing honest emotion then that can be no bad thing... Thanks again for your comments Dave

weirdelf

15 years 11 months ago

This carries a depth of

This carries a depth of emotional poignancy that I have come to not expect either from historical stories or rigidly structured verse. You really are bloody good. And yet... and yet... I can't help but think- fully half the poem is three words repeated, perhaps it's a dull pragmatism in me but surely Helouise and Abelard wasn't necessary at both the beginnings and end of verses? Cheers, Jess, Reprehensibly irrepressible p.s. when you see "You have private messages" near the top of the page, click on it.

Australad

15 years 10 months ago

Fair Comment

Thanks Jess, My only defense is perhaps revealed by it's original sub-title: "A Medieval Chant", and I thought of it as a song, so a melodious repetition of simple notes seemed called for, but as a poem I concede your point! Regards ... Dave