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Ronsard was a prolific writer who produced six editions
of his work between 1560 and 1584, plus countless occasional
pieces. The most important publications were: Les Amours
de Cassandre (2 books of sonnets, Paris, 1550), Odes
(5 books, Paris, 1551-1552), Le Bocage Royal (Paris,
1554), Les Hymnes (2 books, Paris, 1556), Poèmes
(2 books, Paris, 1560-73), Discours sur les Misères du
Temps (1560) and La Franciade (Paris, 1572).
However lively and charming to his contemporaries, the work
did not measure up to the strict demands of French classicism,
and Ronsard's achievements were overlooked for three centuries.
To our ears, however, the poetry is immensely varied —
simple, sublime, tender and ironic — often taking its
inspiration from women
who seemed to have been both real and imagined.
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