Lucy Vickery

Spectator competition winners: double acrostics

[Photo: DIMITAR DILKOFF / Contributor]

In Competition No. 3230, you were invited to supply a double acrostic poem, the first and last letters of each line, read vertically, spelling out The Spectator and New Statesman in either order.

This fiendish technical challenge, designed to sweep away the cobwebs, drew an entry that was on the smallish side but varied and engaging for all that. Some took the topical route. Here’s Tracy Davidson, who turned her sights on the shenanigans at No. 10:

Taste turkey crown, then trousers down! Have cheese and wine. It’s work, it’s fine…

Other submissions worthy of honourable mentions came from Basil Ransome-Davies, Hugh King, Bob Trewin, Steven Smith and Josephine Boyle. But the winners, in a keenly fought contest, earn their authors £20 each.

The Staggers had the hots for Joseph Stalin His Georgian cyclone spun their weather vane Enlightenment would blow worldwide from Moscow So never mind him picking Trotsky’s brains Protect the Empire was the Speccie’s ticket Europe can go to hell — we’ll rule the sea Chamberlain is steady at the wicket Take up your arms but meanwhile bend the knee Appeasement was the order of these pages The Red Flag was their cure for Uncle Sam Our decade’s choice is what to do with China Reject their way or just not give a damn. Nick MacKinnon

This world: it dulls my wastrel brain Holding it down like novocaine — Editors, stir us, make your stew, Souse our heads with your verbal jus Printing each week with great éclat Earning our fanfare’s tan-ta-ra. Comment at will on the local blight, Thoughtful and never the least contrite, And bring us weekly for our centimes The disturbance of an imperfect dream — Old mags, nag at me. Don’t be solemn — a Riot for me, please, every column! Bill Greenwell

Time for festive folderols again — Here’s a chance to sizzle as we freeze: Engineering stanzas that will show Superior Speccie comp abilities, Penning lines with limits left and right. Each

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