Twenty Thirteen Sevens

[new leaf]

There is much laughing and Nashing of teeth in this thread today.

You should, however, be careful what you aim for. You'll need a yard if they're still paying an Aussie poet laureate the same wage they did the last.

[Asymptote]

I approve.

[Dunc]

Malinda, Asymptote

Yes, one must be careful what one wishes for.

But thanks to you both for dropping by,

Regards / Dunc

[Dunc]

9 February 2013



PRIVATE NOTEBOOK (TENNYSON)

Imagine my euphoria
when I ran into Queen Victoria!

She waved. She said, Hi, Ralph!
I called to her back, Alf - it’s Alf

but it was like being dragged across scoria
and I wished I were in Pretoria.

O tiny topple from imperial
to bacterial!

  

[Ted Ten]

Cleverly written! I like this.

[Donner]

Dunc,

Poor Alf, Lord Tennyson (1st Baron Tennyson).



I wonder if being Poet Laureate is what gave him such a sour puss.

Donner

[new leaf]

Thanks for the chuckles. You are so very good at this. Now I want to hear what Victoria thought he was yelling as she drove away.

[Dunc]

Ted - Thanks!

Donner - I suspect the look has more to do with what his friend Edward FitzGerald (of Omar fame) politely called "a pint of port a day". But Alf was an idealist, and was very angry (the tale says) when an old lady recalled how Sam Johnson would stir his tea with a dirty finger, saying her telling reflected on her, not him.

Malinda - As ever, you're very kind.


Damas y caballeros, my lapse into silence has been due to subtle gremlins in the machinery, and although they appear to be fate not fault, none was on watch but me and I unhesitatingly apologise.

Regards / Dunc

[Dunc]

10 February 2013



TRIOLET
ON THE TRUE NATURE OF THUNDER

Lightning is fire from God
to stir the angels’ hearts.
Why would you think it odd
if lightning fire from God
upon the cherub squad
with force that really smarts
draws answering fire to God
with blasts of angel farts?

  

[Dunc]

11 February 2013



Tell those who will live
when they hear currawong song
to remember me.

  

[Dunc]

[A note to lurkers: All posters in Sevens are fluent in (inter alia) the European languages including of course Polish, and know that Wojtyła is a dactyl, towit Voy-t_e-w_a.]

12 February 2013



INFERNO, CANTO 3 FROM LINE 52

  So, Virgil, why do all these ratbags yell
and chase that will-o'-wispy flag around
this antechamber of the upper Hell?
  'Round here those kinds of kinky thing abound
though what they're for is often hard to say -
for instance, him there with the triple crown,
  he's Peter from Morrone. In his day
they made him Pope Celestine, but he thought,
Ah, bugger this! and chucked the job away,
  so now he chases flags.' He shrugged. I caught
a tidal wave of giggles from outside
like soccer crowds, the loud and oafish sort
  and raised an eyebrow to my Latin guide:
So what's the hoot that's set alight the hive?
Screwfaced he listened for a sec, replied:
  'Another pope has chucked it in alive -
the demons scream and flash a gleeful tooth
that Ben Sixteen will lope with Cellie Five
  chasing the futile flag for aye - but strewth!
I reckon he'll adjudge it sweet and fitting
thus to replay his days in Hitler Youth;
  and nothing's so become him as his quitting;
he's pinned his own imps in the clefted stick -
new Razzo or new Wojtyła? How shitting!'

  

[new leaf]

From the ridiculous to the sublime and back, that's our Dunc. My, how you do go when you're inspired. No wonder the imps tried to keep you out of here. Heh.

[JFN]

Dunc,

Loving the triolet. A trump of an ending.

Inferno is humorous and topical and very nicely done.

[Dunc]

Malinda, John - Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!

And running late as ever, I close with something along these lines -



13 February 2013



She’s famous from Boston to Brittany:
with nightshade and hemlock and dittany
     she’s crossed Jordan’s liver
     with just a small sliver
of m’lord Philip Sideney’s kideney.

  

[Lorraine Pester]

Dunc,
You have such fun with words; I long to emulate you, my husband, everyone and anyone who plays with words.

Lorraine