[Brian Allgar]

So many times, I struggled with the verse,
But somehow I could never find the rhymes;
I must admit there is no use pretending -
My lines all lacked a proper rhyming finish.

The words at their conclusion never matched
However hard my wretched head I rubbed,
And quatrain after quatrain fell apart
Because I hadn’t mastered rhyming skill.

But when I found this book, I was transfigured,
And those who read my verse no longer sniggered.
My mastery of rhyme became astounding,
And critics’ praise unstinted and resounding.

I felt like stout Cortez - I mean, Balboa -
Discovering Mexico - or was it Goa?
A realm of gold, this book, no doubt about it -
I don’t know how I ever did without it.