[John Whitworth]

Then, Brian, should I change Cousin to Auntie so as to have Aunties and Uncles. I shall consider your emendation, which is good. Somehow Cousin Maisie sounds better. It's just relatives, after all.

I like yours, Martin. A Mcgill postcard really. Or is it MacGill?

[Brian Allgar]

I think 'Cousin Maisie' and 'Uncle Sprod' are fine. No need to auntify Maisie.

[Brian Allgar]

I shouldn't worry about Lucy, Martin. I'm sure she can handle a bit of mild suggestiveness. I once sent her some very smutty Shakespeare anagrams that she described as 'ribald', and I didn't have the impression that she was using the term pejoratively. On the other hand, it's true that she didn't actually print my entry ...

[Chris O'Carroll]

After this week's expression of enthusiasm for Ovid, I doubt we need to be concerned about primness. But I wonder how strictly Lucy will construct the phrase "a poem about a relative." Will entries about plural relatives be acceptable? A supporting cast is OK, I imagine, but does one specific relative have to be the obvious central figure in the poem?

[Brian Allgar]

I'm sure it doesn't, Chris. Bring forth the entire menagerie.

It's my impression that Lucy allows far more latitude in that respect than Vicky at the NS.

[Jayne Osborn]

If you did happen to go with Grandma Gorbals, John, it's "gerbils" with a guh.

Jayne

[Nigel Mace]

I'd drop Grandma, John. Apart from any other consideration, I can tell you, having gone to school there, that Gorbals does not rhyme with gerbils.