Here at the turning of our year I view
sextuplets
from near to far reporting back to you
backwards to go forwards the year rehearsed:
the AGM with Ades who re-versed
faithful to meaning meter rhyme and tone
from one tongue to another all his
own.
Tim Ades
Mark Fords set Clerihew,
sort of
was universally adored
those who missed it missed all defined within the OED
as wit --
what can be sharp and sweet
funny as your humerus when bit
tough/tender as integument
far-casting as each manuscript ablaze that helped the Pharos one Egyptian night
guide farers never since so brightly
lit?
Mark Ford
The Xmas Party le
triolet ivre; i.m. Edwin Morgan
Chez Mary
Merry Very
The Mshis Barty Parry
The Holly Mrs Toe and Berry
Piem Ince and Sherry
Elksmas Zhe Party
Zhez Barry Mhrisis Mary
Wholly Very Mrs Velly Mistles
Goo
night swee ladies ladies goo nigh
Our Generous hostess Mary Barry
January
Standard
Habbies stanza
Thay scowp and rin frae hyne an near
rush/far
Frae Canterbry frae Chichestre
Frae Lewes
an fra Rochester
To ken
three poets
Oor
Sassenach ain braw makars
our English own fine
poets
An peyed but groats.
only a derisory entrance fee
Graham, wis stags a gabs i Greek,
with his/that Graham
Mummery
Clare, whas hauf weys
intae breeks
who is Clare Best
Fit deep i lang kail
yard fer weeks, area dedicated to the growing of brassicas
Carlin
tender
Caroline Price
Quhiles ghaists o memories an loss she speaks while
Sae willaewy an sklender.
in cutty stoups
Steves Bacchus fine tiny wee drinking
vessels
transfigures word as wine, wine/
word -- we drank it
canty to hear them owr agin;
gladly willing
a three be thankit. all
February
to the tune of any suitable twilight song
Theres a
silence on Neagh, a stillness in the glen
When the
flower he invents explains itself to men;
To
bandoneons husky echo of the final chord hell play
The ghosts
re-blooded jive and smooch again their dancing day;
Theres a
seaside that we left that we cannot paddle twice
But Cahal
follows Orpheus there, wordmusic as device.
Cahal Dallat
A bloke wiv a uke he didnt use to play
A bint with a case of umming birds Arabic بِنْت girl or daughter, used in a patronym
Vese was the types what we reserved
For Marchs Toosdy
Kind as the sun on damp Whit Mondays
Tasty as Ms Muffett pretty wiv her curds
Direct and loving, empaffetic and absurd
On Marchs funday
Proffesional as coxn when they eard my maidee
Divine as a miracle cure at Lourdes
Clear cool and nourishing and deep as Fjords
On a bonding awayday
From Darlington to Devon via OU at MK
From Mexico from Paree by pictograms via words
Transported goggle-eared at what we heard
Fank you for our Toosday Bill
Greenwell Pascale
Petit
The wondrous folk together fed and wined at an hostelry
Țe most kyd knytez vnder Krystes seluen
And țe louelokkest lady țat euer lif haden
For al watz țis fayre folk in her first age
in Carluccios
With alle țe mete doubble on țe dece țis mirțe țay maden
Serued boțe good ber and brygt wyn alle watz țe douth.
Retiring to an upper chamber they did sing their songs
with lel letteres loken, bot on littel quile
notes noble innowe ar herde in halle so wlonk.
The contest winner held his head high
Țe lude as
fortune blessyng wolde fulsun hom
So they left for their own country
wherever that might be
To quat kyth țay becom
knwe non țere
Neuer more țen țay wyste from quețen țay watz wonnen
Open
competition: Judge, Alan Jenkins and prizewinners
May
Well excuse
what
you will
exhibited preference,
Janice,
Folio Winner, Janice Warman
for exemplary pupils
now were tutelees
too, of all wise
Ros
thank you Ros for the excellent one or two
sentences..
Learning best
silently
at the swamis knee
as she recites
her breathing art,
and now itself fleets
scrolling as it exists
Ros Barber The Folio
June limerick
+
An angel came from Angel Street
floating here on dancing feet
light as a feather
scented of the weather
only th aethereal shed eat
Boconncini Green Salad Pinot Grigio
Her satchel wove of spirit and soul
seamed with liltings of the Golden Oriole
wing tips keeping rhythm
that blessed gift of heaven
yet made like us, bisque in original,
reducing kilns have fired to PING Pauline Stainer
July
Half naked riggers bared the way
couplets
though Mary got up close to have her say
so as besiegers camped beneath the motte
personifying each a dead and chosen poet
the evening whiled for eight of the elite
til dusk and thirst was our defeat
the last assault - Chris swearing at the castle
which, were we but gnats? moved not a
muscle
Outdoor meeting Tonbridge Castle
From Rue Ulm
(disputing truly how Jardins Ahren Warner
Sorbonne
in a city can they be, nor masculine
as Beaudlaire the gutter swans,
sips yellow fog, awards wee roses
his sweet flowers of pain)
the grander boucle Paris -
Wien - Belfast - Tunbridge Wells - rive gauche
Where and from Marlow Amy Blakemore Deptford and Teddy Hall
saw dark sharply
she in crystal and prismatic
breaks and bottles light -
well outa sight she may
her underlayer embody her house
as gastropod between his leg
might buttona chemise
Spared the billhook Jack
Underwood Goldsmiths
bosky where dwells the Tribe of Ben
where standards, coverts care for,
are gilt by Phoebus morning heel etc., etc .
by foliage in the hornbook
by doubled makers marked for timber
Princes, your house has many mansions
blank but well meant verse
And Chamberlains enow and Ostlers too
Manciples and Counts of the Exchequer
Heralds, Couriers, The Vizier of Utter Space,
Clarks, Maids of Good Breeding, Scriveners and such
As meanly busy them with scripts and scrolls,
The jolly Cellarmen and Madams hosting with a pleasant mien
Our Guests; alswo foregatherings of your Courteous Company
Whom all, I, as You desire me, thank and thus record
Trusting, your marks assenting addend their lustre: made
This tenth month year the second thousand of our Lord.