[John Whitworth]

Who is Sylvia? Who is she? She's a honey, all agree.

[Brian Allgar]

Splendid, John. Perhaps it's a pity about the singular/plural rhymes in the last stanza. What about something like:

xxLast - I love those early-comers - send a girl of thirteen summers,
xxEre the curse of Death the Drummer's sent her ashes to a flask.
xxThis is all I have to ask

As for Sylvia Fairley, she is of course a distinguished name in the competition world. I suggested that she join the Sphere, on the grounds that "If you can't beat them, get them to join you."

[John Whitworth]

Brian, that last line is great. I'll pinch it. Ta ever so. I was mucking aroun with that for ages. I was reckoning 'bummer send' was OK, though of course the rhyme is not exact. But Poe doesn't always get his rhymes right.

Dammit! early-comers is good too. He did too, like many Victorians. And more people nowadays than you would think.

[Sylvia Fairley]

Who is Sylvia... One half of a phone conversation: 'Who is?'... 'Sylvia?'... What?"... "Is she...?!"

[Brian Allgar]

Originally Posted by Sylvia Fairley

Who is Sylvia... One half of a phone conversation: 'Who is?'... 'Sylvia?'... What?"... "Is she...?!"

"... Eh? ... 'All hearse wanes'? What's that supposed to mean?"

[Sylvia Fairley]

Originally Posted by Brian Allgar

"... Eh? ... 'All hearse wanes'? What's that supposed to mean?"

As a child I thought it was 'All our swine commend her' because that's what my loving brothers taught me!

[Douglas G. Brown]

Dear Santa, though I’m partly Jew,
Three small requests I ask of you;

Could you somehow obtain for me
A gentleman like Robert B.,
A suave and witty sort of man
Who’ll love the way my verses scan?

Send editors who’ll praise my name
And not complain that I’m a dame,
And have the fortitude to say
I write as well as Hemingway.

Convince those drones in Hollywood
My screenplays are supremely good
And they should offer maybe twice
My current modest asking price.

(Plus, one more thing, ‘fore you begin;
A never-ending stream of gin.)

[Brian Allgar]

[quote=John Whitworth;305568]Early-comers is good too. He did too, like many Victorians./quote]

Perhaps you could naughty it up bit:

xxLast, a boon for early-comers, send a girl of thirteen summers