22 SEPTEMBER 1990, Page 60

No. 1646: Carry on

A poem by Morris Bishop begins:

'What is funny?' you ask, my child, Crinkling your bright-blue eye.

`Ah, that is a curious question indeed,' Musing, I make reply.

You are invited to leap from this spring- board to a reply of a maximum 16 lines. Entries to 'Competition No. 1646' by 5 October.