On Monday night at half-past-seven o'clock,
the atmosphere at City Hall felt oddly french.
For Samuel de Champlain was on the block
re: Lake Champlain's 2009 event.

Councilors heard from Monsieur Bruce Hyde,
The Montagne Vert's Commissaire du Tourisme.
Said Hyde, the U.S. and France are historically tied,
so rekindling diplomacy should be easy.

Here, here! said Kiss, fresh off a voyage to Quebec.
Our francophone neighbors will be psyched to come,
said the mayor, after making their trans-Atlantic trek.
"We hope to have a major celebration."

It remains to be seen, of course, if his chefs will try
to serve the French ambassadors "freedom fries."