[John Whitworth]

Nicely, George. I've got thrushes in my garden. It's skylarks that are difficult to find. But I know where to find them. Happy is he who lives in East Kent. We've even got Buzzards and bitterns, which we didn't have before.

[Roger Slater]

This one went off in the wrong direction, since the rhymes were less cheerful than I am:

Hangover

Having had
a merry Christmas,
people hear my
plaintive cry:
yesterday
no longer matters,
every moment
waves good-bye;
young turns old,
endurance falters;
all God's children
race to die.

[basil ransome-davies]

Reads good to me, & I doubt if many in the UK are expecting a good new year, given Tory plans.

[Roger Slater]

Thanks, Bazza. And congratulations. In case you haven't checked, you're in the winner's circle again for new year's resolutions.

[basil ransome-davies]

Really? Best news I've had all day. Thanks for that, & a merry Xmas & good New Year to you & yours.

[Roger Slater]

I'm too lazy to post it up the way John always does, but heres the link:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/wit-and-w...petition.thtml

[Lance Levens]

I'm piggy backing George's thrush. Different take.

Hardy was too morose at times, but once
an aged thrush did manage to engage
poor Tom's extended yen for penitence,
pardon and a painfully gloomy page.
You'll probably never see a single sky,
not in a life time, with broken lyre strings.
(Enthusiast of nether thoughts Tom brings
worse than mere chamber music gone awry);
yet the small thrush appears to realize
exactly what's at stake and cheers the man
and coaxes out a deep, Dorcet elan
right before the reader's worried eyes.

[John Whitworth]

Nice one, Lance, but don't those three middle lines (4,5,6) each have one syllable too many. Of course yu might say 'probly'. I think I do.

Meanwhile.. I can't see this winning any money but I enjoyed doing it.


New Year Letters

Heron, hippopotamus,
Aardvark, aye-aye, anaconda,
Pterodactyl, platypus,
Penguin, python, potto, panda,

Yaffle, yellowhammer, yak
Nightjar, narwhal, natterjack,
Earwig, eagle, emu, eel,
Willow-warbler, whippoorwill,

Yeti… that’s enough of that shit:
Elephants are going batshit,
Alligators, off their trolleys,
Raving at the New Year jollies.

[basil ransome-davies]

That comp was 2008.

John – I enjoyed your nonsense piece too. Was it the Shepherd Neame or are you on acid these days?

Xmas greetings to all.

bazza

[Lance Levens]

John,

Thanks, John. I am swallowing a lot of air there, aren't I? BTW is Lucy hostile to substitutions?

Great fun
Lance