Robert Hanrott,
the editor

Ogden Nash was arguably the greatest writer of funny and ironic verse. Since his time the genre has lost favor, but rhyming is in again we are told. Here, we post some light-hearted verse designed to provoke a reflection or perhaps to bring a smile to the lips.

To all aspiring versifiers! Email us with your verses. Preference will be given to submissions that are light-hearted, wry, ironic or funny.

The editor's decision is final.

Light Verse

In the tradition of Ogden Nash

Current verse........
The Cormorant	Inside the mind of an average sea bird
Maturity	An age-old lament
Kensington Church, 1944	An unsung hero, who played the organ in a burning church, is remembered. And it is my earliest, and most vivid, memory
And in previous months........
War, American Style	May America's war criminals be one day indicted!
Peddling Fear	The Bush Administration peddles fear and its supporters revel in it.
When God Lost the Planet	Why those who pray constantly find their prayers are not answered.
The Bottom Dwellers	A protest against the intellectual pygmies who trash their political opponents and bring politics into disrepute.
The Bonobos	A prediction about the future
What is the Point	Why have Americans allowed their country to be so deeply amaged by ideologues?
1984	America has gone sleepwalking down a dangerous path.
It Comes at a Price	The disaster of neo-liberalism and unrestrained capitalism
Climate Change 2008	An apology
Committees	Committees and their members
Kefalonia	Greek island in the sun.
Dawn	A poem about peace, calm and tranquillity.
The Georgetowne House Toure	As Experienced by an Olde Englisheman,with Apologies to Chaucer, Milton, Dryden, whoever?
Life and Death of the Florida Strangler Tree	A fantasy inspired by the Strangler Fig tree at The Moorings, Islamorada.
Silence	We are losing the ability to enjoy silence, blessed silence.
Silver, Orange, Purple, Month	They said it was impossible to rhyme these four words. Mmh. Robert Hanrott and Jeffrey Chappell have a try
A Walk in the Woods	A poem, now set to music. Piano score available on request.
I Did it All Myself	A personal chat with reality.
Choice	For choice read confusion.
Discontinued	Why do they keep discontinuing our favourite products?
Rat Patrol	Where is the local government when you want it?
Me!	Yes, it's about me!
Recital Time	Piano lessons and Jeffrey Chappell
The Decorator	Memorializing the horrors of workmen in the house.
A Cigar on the Porch	A favourite thing.
Breakfast Alone	Starting the day calm and contented.
A Night out on the Town	A Treat at The Ritz.
The Warsaw Pact Blues	The Cold War seems quite cosy in comparison to the Bush wars and threats of wars.
Dubya	Imagine this accompanied by guitar and a West Virginian accent!
What does it Mean?	Poets writing for poets.
John Constable.	Thoughts on attending an exhibition of John Constable’s painting at the National Gallery in Washington D.C.
Read Epicurus!	Abandon fear- - read Epicurus!
The Sartorial Fox	For the grandchildren.
This English Summer	Now will the oil companies admit that human activity is causing climate change?
The Great Airline Scam	British Airways are pleased to announce that, as from January 1st, 2007, in order to provide ever better service to its customers and to contain rising costs, all World Traveller seating on long-haul flights will be removed, and passengers will have the opportunity to keep fit and make new friends by moving freely around the cabin.The ending of sedentary postures will also help to prevent blood clots.
Zarqawi	Some verse about the death of Zarqawi, leader of Al Queda in Iraq, and how Americans will draw all the wrong conclusions from it.
The Angry Tree	A fine old maple tree protests at its imminent destruction.
Hotel beds, the forgotten technology	Why can't hoteliers cater to those of us who cannot sleep in rock-hard beds?
Dry Cleaning in the Twenty-first Century	No longer do you drop off your cleaning and walk out. Oh, no! This is the technological age!
The Dinner Gift	What on earth can we take as a gift for our hosts tonight? A problem we all have.
Marco	Why is it that some successful businessmen become obsessive, penny-pinching and miserable?
The Rueful Hippopotamus	A self-absorbed hippopotamus hears some unwelcome news.
In Praise of Old Houses	So you'd like to live in a new house?
The Sun Umbrella	A disaster narrowly averted
Two O'Clock in the Morning	Verse submitted by John Chappell
The Allotment	My son has a rather large allotment in Oxford. Rather him than me!
A Week in Provence	Not all Provencal houses are bucolic delights.
My Prostate	A letter of thanks to a brilliant surgeon.
On Surviving Cancer	Robert Hanrott and Surviving Cancer.
The High Street	The demise of the British high street.
John Kenneth Galbraith	Verses in appreciation of a famous economist.
An Ode to Victoria Station	I maintain that it was this poem that persuaded British Rail to organise an intelligent queuing system.
Thank you for the Meal Last Night	In recognition of a world-class cook.
A Letterto the Sun Alliance	The ability of insurance companies to avoid paying claims is truly staggering.
The Appointment	A bad hair day.
A Father Plays with his Son	Thank goodness. We men never do grow up.
Swimming	From a poor swimmer to a good one
Dancing at the Ritz	Our favourite and most romantic treat.
The Tune	In praise of the tune.
The Rhyme	In praise of the rhyme.
The Comma	Help!
Light and Fit	About the gym.

Light Verse

In the tradition of Ogden Nash

Current verse........

And in previous months........