[Jennifer Gordon]

Oddly enough, this particular stanza recalls a contrary number of Charles (Tennyson) Turner's as gout left him listing off happier creatures while he perforce rued his "earthbound lot."
Perhaps the special effects of the liquid in hand accomplishes what follows as readers are taken off in a flight of fancy which does seem verily as the Judge suggests, an epiphany of sorts.
Again, metre is characteristically left to capricious timing yet generally adhered to herein, methinks, L's 1, 7, 9, and 14 sassily trochaic in beginning, or correct me.
What I enjoy is the almost atmospheric poignancy developed in this stanza, its imagery capably rendering the suggestion begun effectively. And perhaps reminds us of Wordsworth and why we are where we so contentedly are.

[Mary Meriam]

This is a rare, lovely work of art, entirely to my taste.

[Simon Hunt]

As I think I said when this was at Metrical, I think it has something of Hopkins about it--without seeming fusty. Quite lovely, although I would vote for a re-title.

[Martin Rocek]

I agree with many other comments--I like this a lot, but the couplet needs replacement. The risky chair and slipped moorings almost had me imagine N attaching weather balloons to the chair and floating off like this. This image only added to the delight.

[Woody Long]

See Martin's post just above regarding "Air Larry" & Joseph Harrison's poem here.

[Susan McLean]

Thanks for the link to the poem, Woody.

Susan

[Mark McDonnell]

Hi everyone!

Thank you Aaron/Aaron's scary alter ego for selecting this. I'm really quite flattered and thrilled.

And thanks to everyone who read this and took the time to comment, whether you voted for it or not. It's interesting to read how much criticism there was about the final few lines. When I first posted this I recall the main bone of contention being whether it was possible or idiomatic to 'sip on wine' haha. Funny old business poetry isn't it?

I won't thank individuals but thank you Martin and Woody for introducing me to the amazing tale of 'Air Larry' and to Mary Meriam for just being so damn nice and suggesting I enter this in the first place.

With regard to the 'previously workshopped' controversy I will say in my defence that, unusually stubbornly for me, I only changed one word of this from its original posting to when people finally got bored of the thread. Martin Elster persuaded me to change 'spores' to 'seeds'. I reckon I'd have won if I'd have stuck with the original. Damn you Elster with your botanist brain you lost me the Bake-Off!

(I am joking of course)

Thanks again all. Great fun!