Trouble? Trouble? There's no trouble. And the trouble WE go to. When I first heard the curious thing you do with 'missile' I thought you were talking about a Catholic prayer book. What WERE they doing with those Cuban missals? And for years I couldn't understand how the great Ogden had fallen over so badly with his rhyme.

The turtle lives mid plated decks
That practically conceal his sex.
I think it's clever of the turtle,
In such a fix, to be so fertile,

NOW I know it should be furtle. But how do you say tensile and prehensile? I suppose one could live a blameless life and never say either of these words. But if you did?

And what about savidge. Do you say sav-ahj? And porridge. Por-ahj. And don't say it's the spelling. Scott's Porage Oats it says on the box with the chap in the skirt on it - who is, of course, a Scotch savage.

table d'oat
 

Porage, mon brave.

Alas, resistance is fewtle

we'll all go together...
 

'Midst the sagebrush and the thistles I'll watch the guided missiles, while the old FBI watches me...'

If it's good enough for Tom Lehrer, it's good enough for me.

But if you actually SAY missle, Bazza, I'll eat my topper, gor strewth if I won't, me old china.

aha!
 

I just did. Post the video.

Are the boys getting a little infantle or juvenle, now, Ann? Let's hope they don't become hostle when they see how versatle we are.

My poet's brows are bound with myrtle. Or murtile of course.

Back where we started, and my poem about Myrtle.

Here's my gentle stab at the challenge.


SIX O’CLOCK

It's six o'clock, the evening ghouls are loose:
another suicide attack to cheer
the Taliban; that clip of clones in goose-
step signalling the mood in North Korea;
Strauss is cleanbowled by a Johnson yorker;
and on the local scene, there’s been a gruesome
murder down the street, a jealous stalker
suspected. Well, you win some and you lose some.

And now, from Police HQ, your on-the-spot
newshound: “Forensics have identified
someone-of-interest in the brutal shot-
gun slaying of the model. Homicide . . ."

Sleep well, my dear. You're mine forevermore.
And here's the SWAT team, breaking down the door.

oOOo