Except for the "Complainte Ruteboeuf," which would be incomprehensible to present-day French speakers, the poems here are recited in their original versions to highlight linguistic variations through the centuries. Dating from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, the Renaissance, and beyond, the poets-including Ruteboeuf, Francois Villon, Pierre de Ronsard, Charles d'Orleans, and Voltaire-share an interest in love and peace, and listeners can compare how such different yet influential poets dealt with these themes.