[John Whitworth]

Well, most of us were there, Bill, Martin Parker and Bazza serially, and Chris O'Carroll, Brian Allgar and Jayne. Marion Shore and Robert Schechter nearly made it.

The latest competition is a golden oldie. I remember a single line from a previous run - 'Thou best, besetter, Sloth'. I'm sure we can crack this one.


No. 2750 vice verse
You are invited to provide a poem in praise of one of the seven deadly sins (16 lines max.). Please email entries, where possible, to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 6 June.

John: PM your email address to me so I can e mail the Lists and Litanies poems to you. Sorry to interrupt. Got to catch a guy where you know he hangs out. I start posting the poems
on Friday.

[Roger Slater]

And don't forget Brendan Beary, who recently started posting with us.

One of the winners was a (very funny) limerick that was in Bumbershoot's fractured verse issue. I wish I had raided my published Bumbershoot stock, since nothing I wrote was as good as that.

Congratulations to the winners!

[John Whitworth]

Mr Beary, you are not forgotten. Haven't I seen your name before?

[Brian Allgar]

I remember a single line from a previous run - 'Thou best, besetter, Sloth'.

John, I don't get it. Can you enlighten me?

P.S. In titling this thread, you missed Lucy's pun: "Vice verse"

[Brian Allgar]

SLOTH

I never shave, I’m really far too lazy,
Although my wife complains about the stubble.
And competitions - do you think I’m crazy?
Write sixteen lines? No way, it’s too much trouble.

[Marion Shore]

Originally Posted by Brian Allgar

SLOTH

I never shave, I’m really far too lazy,
Although my wife complains about the stubble.
And competitions - do you think I’m crazy?
Write sixteen lines? No way, it’s too much trouble.

Ironic, that the first one to go up is about sloth! :-)

[Roger Slater]

PRIDE

Of all the sins that I display
the one of which I am most proud
and even go so far to say
the Catholic Church should have allowed
and not have classified the sin
which currently it's classified,
because there's really no harm in
possessing it in spades, is pride.
I think the humble envy me,
and envy is a sin as well!
Someday we'll die, I guess, and see
which one of us ends up in hell.

[Roger Slater]

ENVY

I envy your lust,
your pride as well,
your gluttonous ways
that will land you in hell.

I envy your anger,
your sloth and your greed.
Envy? I've got it.
There's six more I need.

[Roger Slater]

When asked to give up deadly sins
I've never whined or fussed
Renouncing gluttony, envy, pride,
Wrath, greed, sloth . . . but lust???

[Brian Allgar]

I’m quite incapable of sin;
My rectitude’s like iron.
Of course, I’ve got my pride - but then,
I am the alpha lion.