Lucy Vickery

Competition: Against the grain

issue 15 October 2011

In Competition No. 2717 you were invited to supply a poem expressing distaste for something or someone widely considered to be beautiful.

You poured scorn on Paris, daffodils, Michelangelo and Alan Bennett’s plays. Newborns were also a popular target. Here is Melissa Balmain giving it both barrels: ‘You can dress it in taffeta, ribbon and lace;/ you can scrub it each hour of the day;/ you can name it Belinda Veronica Grace;/ it’ll still look like rump roast manqué’.

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