The Poet ~ There is some ambiguity on exact date of birth of Edmund Spenser (either 1552 or 1553) but he passed away on 13 January 1599. Spenser is sometimes known as the “Poet’s Poet” because so many later English poets learned the art of versification from him. He was best known for “The Faerie Queene” - an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of nascent Modern English verse and is considered one the greatest poets in the English language.
Our Reader ~ Gaynor Finch is a Milton community leader and long‑serving Clutha District Councillor whose public life has been defined by unwavering commitment, passionate leadership, and deep care for the people of the Bruce area. A former vet nurse with many dedicated years at Clutha Vets, she brings the same compassion, and work ethic to her civic roles as did to the animals and families she supported. Gaynor is a weapon on any fundraising committee and always ready to roll up her sleeves. Known for her elegant style with a colourful personal flair, Gaynor has overcome health challenges with grace, and remains a strong, trusted and tireless advocate for her community.
My Love is like to ice, and I to fire
My Love is like to ice, and I to fire:
How comes it then that this her cold so great
Is not dissolved through my so hot desire,
But harder grows the more I her entreat?
Or how comes it that my exceeding heat
Is not allayed by her heart-frozen cold,
But that I burn much more in boiling sweat,
And feel my flames augmented manifold?
What more miraculous thing may be told,
That fire, which all things melts, should harden ice,
And ice, which is congeal’d with senseless cold,
Should kindle fire by wonderful device?
Such is the power of love in gentle mind,
That it can alter all the course of kind.