Ode on the Mammoth Cheese Weighing Over 7,000 Pounds is a poem by Victorian era lyricist James McIntire. It was written in honor of a 7300 pound block of cheddar cheese produced by James Harris in Ingersoil, ON, Canada. The cheese must have been quite the attraction, as it traveled further than most people ever did at that time, being shown at expositions in the United States and Europe. Just like the cheese itself, the poem was a successful effort to promote the local economy in Ontario.

Sometimes known as "the cheese poet" or the "Chaucer of Cheese" - the subject of this node being only one of his many works focusing on dairy products and local culture - McIntire was admired in Ingersoil for his poems and oratory efforts, which both typically showcased his love for the community and its customs. As a writer, he has largely been forgotten after his death, and even during his time on earth was not respected by the critics. Wikipedia states that

"McIntyre was uninhibited by minor shortcomings—such as his lack of literary skills. The Toronto Globe ran his pieces as comic relief".

The poem with the alluring title was first published in 1884 in McIntire's Book with the almost-as alluring title, Musings on the Banks of Canadian Thames, including poems on local, Canadian and British subjects, and lines on the great poets of England, Ireland, Scotland and America, with a glance at the wars in Victoria's reign. Being over 130 years old, the work is now in public domain - see the other writeup on this page.

http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/ode-mammoth-cheese-weighing-over-7000-pounds