Jerome Betts: Epitaph For A Welsh Runner
(Guto Nyth Brân (1700-1737) died in his wife’s
arms celebrating success after his final race.)
Newport to Bedwas, all twelve miles they ran,
Last part uphill, where Guto passed his man.
But fame and guineas won could not arrest
The ticking of the time bomb in his chest.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Steven Clayman: Lines Written In The Hermitage Museum
Possessed of a monarch’s capacious wont,
She knew not of enough.
We’re bleary-eyed, brain-fried, and growing gaunt.
Where did she get this stuff?
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Steven Kent: Opinion
Opinion’s like an orifice, the one in our posterior;
That saying’s true, if most irreverential.
Though mine I’m sure is better and your own you find superior,
Both share the same olfactory potential.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
L. A. Mereoie: Parthian Shot
The pigeon that a poacher downed
Cost him some painful dental drilling
For when he ate his bag he found
Enough to pulverise a filling.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Tony Peyser: Exhalation And Prevarication
When someone says something is "complicated"
It's often accompanied by sighing:
Bet heavy that the next thing out of their mouth
Will be some very significant lying.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Will Ingrams: Sensory Assault
A scent ammoniacal
jump-starts cardiacal
rhythm, if lost,
at olfactory cost.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Tom Vaughan: Golf
Wouldn’t you rather
be a dolphin
than part of a breed
which invented golfing?
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Henry Stimpson: On Receiving A Reply
Six Years After Sending An Email
Six years of ups and down and trials,
while Earth spun on four billion miles
I waited for its resurrection —
my correspondent’s lost connection.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Gail White: Cynic At A Wedding
It’s not first love for either of these two,
nor yet first sex, God knows. They won’t be true
forever, and they know their bliss will end…
but look at how much money they can spend!
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
L. A. Mereoie: Feather And Fin
A falconer – books and TV talks –
Sold lures for salmon’s eyes.
So, some days he would fly his hawks,
On others, hawk his flies.
