[Jayne Osborn]

I've never heard of Breaking Bad but it doesn't matter; 'Suspense' is a topic with plenty of scope -- Gosh, I can hardly wait to see what you all come up with!

Jayne

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThe Oldie Competition
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxby Tessa Castro

COMPETITION NO 174

I’ve noticed that the American series called Breaking Bad employs the same kind of suspense that Hitchcock used. Please write a poem called Suspense, either light or serious, on any subject that fits. Maximum 16 lines.

Entries to ‘Competition No 174’ by post (The Oldie, 65 Newman Street, London W1T 3EG), fax (020 7436 8804) or email comps@theoldie.co.uk by 7th March 2014.

[Rob Stuart]

Hooray for poems!

[Brian Allgar]

xxxxxxxxxxSuspense

North by Northwest? I took the wrong direction,
And now I’m stuck on this absurd projection.
Suspended by my fingernails and toes,
I’m hanging on to Lincoln’s massive nose.
“I’m just an English visitor from Taunton”,
I tell the bad guys, “I’m not Roger Thornton!”
“You’re not?” the leader says suspiciously.
“Then tell us, wise guy, where the f— is he?”
I’d gladly tell them what they want to know -
Perhaps they’d very kindly let me go -
But Thornton’s role was played by Cary Grant,
Who died decades ago, and so I can’t.
I’m waiting for the good guys to arrive,
As in the film, and get me out alive.
I hope it’s soon - the wind is chilling me,
And frankly, the suspense is killing me.

[Rob Stuart]

That's terrific, Brian, but I for one will not be making you any rash promises about hats.

[Jerome Betts]

True story, but probably too macabre for the competition

They found his body hanging from a hook –
A suicide the day they did the wages.
It seems the auditors were due to look
At Tom’s accounts in search of all the pages
His wife suspected he was prone to cook.
She told them‘He’d been in suspense for ages’.

[Adrian Fry]

Jerome, you should enter your chilling poem for the comp; they do occasionally go for shorter and more serious items once in a way and this should be one such occasion.