Millésime

read it in French

Goliath and his bottle


Night at Cluny Tavern, the plonk is chill.
And there a thousand shameless drunkards lie,
Grasping their glass, wild-featured. All are still.
Around them all, black condors wheel and cry.

And the blue moon sends her cold light abroad.
Goliath  arises with a misty brain,
Heavily leaning on an old dartboard,
Perspiring are his sides, plonk becomes rain.

Hail to you all: is there one breath still drawn
Among those fierce and thirsty lads who played
So merrily, and sang as sweet in the dawn
As condors singing in the bramble shade?

They have no word to say. My mind's unbound,
My brain cells are by plonk unriveted,
Sweat's on my eyes; I hear a spreading sound,
Like waves or condors howling in my head.

Helper of men, King Pépin, come this way,
And with thine iron shirt may we be blessed,
To-morrow we drink where we drink to-day,
And bear this bottle to her I love best.

Through Garnipoise, where drink condors and sing,
And clash their golden bowls, and feel so fine,
Riding your frog, carry on tireless wing
To green-eyed Solange this bottle of wine.

And thou shalt see her standing straight and pale,
High pedestalled on some rook-haunted tower:
And she is hearing Leconte de Lisle's tale,
Her eyes, like wormwood, shine in sunset hour.

Tell her my love, thou dark king ominous;
Give her that plonk, no bloodless wine and vile
But red, pungent and strong, and quite cheap. Thus
Shall green-eyed Solange greet thee with a smile.

Now let more plonk from twenty bottles flow,
And condors may drink the plonk. 'Tis well done.
Young, brave and thirsty, I rejoice to go
And sit where all the drunks are, having fun.


           James Elroy Flecker for the correct parts of the text,
and Cochonfucius for slight deformations.



A scholar made a short comment.


      Many people consider Cluny Tavern to be a pleasant and distinguished watering point. However, it would only be so if not periodically invaded by immoderate drinkers. Goliath  became one of them at an early age, perhaps while listening to Cluny's excellent musicians, and here we see green-eyed Solange expecting his return in vain. Having King Pépin deliver a bottle at her home is not a wise move. Most kings of that period were known as womanizers, and if the young lady enjoys this bottle with her sovereign liege, what comes next ? Nothing that we would find advisable to publish on this website.