No. 1273: The winners
Jaspistos reports: Competitors were asked for a 'cinquain` with one of the following four titles: 'Susanna and the Elders', 'Triad', 'Niagara', 'The Warning'.
The creator of the cinquain was Adelaide Crapsey (1878-1914), of whom my quaint literary encyclopaedia remarks: 'Like her verse, she herself was "fair and fragile, in action swift, in repose still" ', which is more than can be said of most of us. The four titles I offered you were in fact the titles of some of her own cinquains, the least bad of which, 'Susanna and the Elders', goes like this:
'Why do You thus devise Evil against her?' 'For that She is beautiful, delicate. Therefore.'
Whether, like her, you didn't rhyme, or did, a huge and excellent entry demonstrated just how much progress we have made in this verse-form during the last 70 years. Thank you, everybody — except those who miscounted syllables, and `Anon', who must send name and address in order to get the £4 which is due to each winner printed below. The cinquains are not individually titled but appear in groups, the titles (easily guessed) in the order I presented them.
She stood Beneath a tree, Susanna beautiful.
The elders could no way agree which tree. (John Stanley) What her Seniors dreamt Was to tempt her; yet, as She held, her elders were not her Betters. (Nell L. Wregible) Prophets Preaching virtue Will likelier say 'Don't' Than 'Giving treats to old folk won't Hurt you.' (George Simmers)
An old.
Chinese proverb Says you shouldn't meddle With the Triad, or they'll cut you In three. (E. O. Parrott) Labour, Conservative, Liberal/SDP - They all look pretty much the same To mc. (Anon) So queer A trinity The disenfranchised three - The felon, lunatic and peer - Appear. (R. L. Sadler) Seek-we To walk on wire Over it, we require Adding to numbing librium, Equi. (Mary I-Ioltby) Gawped at By newlyweds, Trod across by Blondin, Shot by barrelled fools; no wonder You weep. (Charles Mosley) James Joyce Talked a lot of Baloney. Be warned: it Leaves a chap invariably Lonely.
(P. Simeoni)
`Listen!'
Said God to Lot.
'If I were you I'd get
As far as pass from S & G.'
Lot got. (J. M. Sowerby) Look, now: Four passed this point, Set foot on mud and sank Entirely. Nothing left. So, friend, Go back. (John Cox) I tried To grab the gun Aimed at my head in fun, Told him to pull the other one.
He died. (Jean Hayes)
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