[Douglas G. Brown]

I do like a few on my light verse efforts better that the winners on the D and A comps; but usually I see the winners earned their prizes by a better treatment of the rubric. When I think "Geez, I wish I had thought of that!", as I read someone else's verse, I acknowledge that I have to try harder next time. The same goes for being published in the several light verse print and online journals.

The D and A comps force me to address topics that I otherwise never would consider, and sometimes I am really pleased with the results. Otherwise, I'd write far too many poems on Maine rednecks getting their comeuppance for doing dumbass things.

There are several Spherians (many of them have already been mentioned on previous posts) who are true masters of the genre, and I have laughed and learned a great deal from them.

Light verse favors adherence to form, rhyme, and meter, and a certain amount of wit. It requires thought and skill, and can reward its creator more than its reader. It's fun to write this stuff.

My favorite dead light versifiers are Ogden Nash, Samuel Hoffenstein, Dorothy Parker, and many poets in FP Adams' anthology. Also, the chronically sad E A Robinson, who lightened up enough to write Miniver Cheevy and Richard Corey