Verses on Death

Helinand (c.1162-1237) was born to a noble Flemish family which had fled to France after the assassination of Charles the Bold. In the richly creative, rough and tumble world of the twelfth century, he proved himself an accomplish poet. In the first generation of vernacular poetry, he may have been a jongleur–a performer of lyric or epic poetry–or a trouvère–a lyric poet who also performed.

Some time around 1182, he turned his back on worldly success to enter the cistercian abbey of Froidmont, near Beauvais. There he composed a number of Latin works, including a Universal Chronicle, and these Verses on Death, his sole surviving work in French.

In Verses on Death Helinand combines his love of poetry and his love of monastic tradition. From his cloister, he instructs Death to visit those dearest to him, to turn their attentions to the joys of eternity.

Both in Old French and in Jenny Lind Porter's translation, the verses provide lively, colloquial and arresting reflections on the transitory vanity of worldly pleasures.