19 JANUARY 1968, Page 29

No. 484: Octet

COMPETITION

Competitors are invited to compose an eight- line poem or stanza of a poem on any one of the subjects given below, using four of the following five pairs of words as end-rhymes. The rhymes are taken from a well-known poem. The rhyme-scheme is optional. Entries, marked `Competition No. 484,' must be in by 29 January.

The rhymes: singing, stinging; find, mind; sights, nights; swear, fair; sweet, meet.

The subjects: a politician's nightmare; a Casa- nova's apology; lyrics for a pop record by the 'Backing Britain' girls.