Poem of the Week

Rondel: Le temps a laissé son manteau
Charles d'Orleans

Le temps a laissé son manteau.
De vent, de froidure et de pluie,
Et s’est vêtu de broderie,
De soleil luisant, clair et beau.

Il n’y a bête, ni oiseau
Qu’en son jargon ne chante ou crie :
Le temps a laissé son manteau.

Rivière, fontaine et ruisseau
Portent en livrée jolie,
Gouttes d’argent d’orfèvrerie,
Chacun s’habille de nouveau :
Le temps a laissé son manteau.

(Broad English translation (mine, so probably error-prone):

The season has removed his coat
Of wind, cold and rain,
And put on embroidery,
Of gleaming sunshine, bright and beautiful.

There is neither animal nor bird
That doesn’t call or cry in its own tongue:
The season has removed his coat.

Rivers, fountains and brooks
Wear, as handsome garments,
Silver gouts of goldsmith’s work;
Everyone puts on new clothing:
The season has removed his coat.)

Poem of the Week

In Imitation of Chaucer
Alexander Pope

Women ben full of Ragerie,
Yet swinken not sans secresie.
Thilke Moral shall ye understond,
From Schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond:
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there passen by the Way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowses hath he hent,
Not to be spied of Ladies gent.
'But ho! our Nephew,' (crieth one)
'Ho!' quoth another, 'Cozen John;'
And stoppen, and lough, and callen out, -
This sely Clerk full low doth lout:
They asken that, and talken this,
'Lo here is Coz, and here is Miss.'
But, as he glozeth with Speeches soote,
The Ducke sore tickleth his Erse-roote:
Fore-piece and buttons all-to-brest,
Forth thrust a white neck, and red crest.
'Te-he,' cry'd Ladies; Clerke nought spake:
Miss star'd; and gray Ducke crieth Quake.
'O Moder, Moder,' (quoth the daughter)
'Be thilke same thing Maids longer a'ter?
'Bette is to pyne on coals and chalke,
'Then trust on Mon, whose yerde can talke.'

Recent Cheeses

Some tasty Gruyère, oak-matured Brie (it still counts, I aver) and Smoked Austrian - all from the Dog Kennel Hill supermarket.
... and some new Gouda from The Cheese Block in East Dulwich.

Taster

We've been about and travelling.  Here's a taster:

Deleted Scene

New Cheese List

So following on from yesterday's post, here are the cheeses completed:

Red Leicester
Stilton
Emmental
Norwegian Jarlsberg (not -er)
Double Gloucester
Cheshire
Pont-l'Évêque
Edam
Wensleydale
Mozzarella
Cheddar

And here are those yet to do:

Tilsit
Caerphilly
Bel Paese
Red Windsor
Gruyère
Liptauer
Lancashire
White Stilton
Danish Blue
Dorset Blue Vinney
Brie
Roquefort
Port Salut
Savoyard
Saint-Paulin
Carre-de-L'Est
Bresse-Bleu
Boursin
Perle du (or de) Champagne
Camembert
Gouda
Caithness
Smoked Austrian
Sage Darby
Gorgonzola
Parmesan
Pippo Crème
Danish Fimboe
Czech sheep's milk
Venezuelan Beaver Cheese
Ilchester
Limberger

Poem of the Week

So We'll Go No More a-Roving
Lord Byron

So, we'll go no more a-roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the hearth must pause to breathe,
And love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the days return too soon,
Yet we'll go no more a-roving
By the light of the moon.