Christmas holiday poetry competition

The Spectator

Tuesday, 13th December 2011

Spectator readers have gone where seasoned pros Alice Oswald and John Kinsella feared to tread: by writing a poem about the present ascent of money. The entries for the last online poetry competition were of a typically witty standard, many thanks for submitting them. Particular praise goes to the poems written by Basil Ransome Davis, Sam Gwynn and Didi Mae Hand. But the winner of the prized bottle of Pol Roger is Felix Bungay for this amusing verse on Britain’s present financial ills:

'Our monetary system isn’t sound. It’s built on very shaky ground.
Now as it all collapses, “blame capitalism” scream the chattering classes.
But free markets aren’t to blame, when central bankers run the game.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Don’t forget the Community Reinvestment Act.
Government has caused our ills, and sent us all the rising bills.
Bankers bailed out with taxpayer’s money, we’d all cry if it weren’t so funny.
As interest rates are cut and cut, inflation soars, we’re in a rut.
But Mervyn King just doesn’t learn. He’s printing money as Greece burns.
Eurozone goes down the drain, as its leaders watch in vain.
The solution to our troubles? No more fiat credit bubbles!'

Holidays are coming, as the saying goes, so why not pass an idle or two penning a poem for the next competition.  The subject is Christmas and the New Year. Pastiches of Betjeman and Eliot are most welcome, as are more reverent compositions. The rules are the same as ever: entries should be left in the comments section below and the epic form is discouraged. All that is left to do is wish you good luck in pursuit of the Pol Roger; oh yes, and peace and goodwill to all men. 

Blog Tags: Poetry competition , Spectator