Lunatic Lyrics

SPECTATOR COMPETITION No. 447: Report by R. Kennard Davis The usual prize Was offered for not more than sixteen lines of verse addre.ssed to the Moon on the occasion of attempts to assault her with rockets.

THIS competition produced a high proportion of better-than-average entries, but none of really outstanding merit. As often happens, some really good poems were put out of the running by single blemishes that could easily have been avoided. I hope the authors will forgive me if I quote two examples. In the line : Where man his direful inventions plies it needs an effort to read 'direful' as three syllables --and it would not have been hard to find an alternative. Another entry, otherwise better than most, contained the couplet :

And what will then your peace be worth,

Of what avail disuince's boon?

which brought me up with an unpleasant jerk. in a close competition slips like these may make all the difference.

Parodies were not very successful, though it is noteworthy that two of the winners were inspired by Ben Jonson. Many•competitors tried to adapt Sir Philip Sidney's sonnet, but its involved style did not lend itself to imitation. The 'Housemaid poet' quoted in The Stuffed Owl evoked some echoes, but that kind of unconscious humour does not stand decoration. The Rev. K. W. Meiklejohn contributed a neat,Latin epigram, though a pedant might complain that his third line lacked a proper czesura. Jan J. Simpson offered a Scots poem which I could just understand, but felt incom- petent to judge.

On the' whole, the Moon came well out of this paper bombardment. There were plenty of near misses, but few direct hits. I award two guineas each to Rhoda Tuck Pook and W. K. Holmes. one guinea each to Alberick and G. J. Blundell, with commendation to Barbara Roe, J. A. Lindon, Nancy Gunter, A. M. Sayers, Nancy Seabrooke, Henrietta, and Joan Ackner; but the last-named should not have tried to make eighteen lines look like fifteen.

PRIZES

(RHODA TUCK POOK) CONJURATION (After Jonson) Goddess. Queen, thy reign is spent : Man, upon his little star, Dreams of thy 'development' As a Supertopia.

Blast the vision from his sight, Goddess excellently bright ! Jove himself shall groan for thee, Shuddering planets rock and roll To behold thy chastity Ravished by remote control: Fallen lady of the night, Goddess excellently bright.

(W. K. HOI MES) APOLOGY TO DIANA

Supreme serenity, night's empress fair, Shall man indeed, on further mischief bent, To mar his earthly dwelling not content, This outrage on your tranquil splendour dare? Sky-wandering lamp, to lovers ever dear, How mild your rule after the tyrant sun! This deed by man could never have been done Had not your beauty deigned to walk so near. Should you withdraw from this indignity How might ingratitude its crimedeplore ! The horror of an ever-stagnant sea--

The cold ablution of the tides no more! Oh, for our sakes lend still your silver light, The lovely neighbour of earth's lonely night.

(ALBERICK)

To 'nu MOON (After Ben Jonson) Goddess of the pearled bow, Take thy deadliest shafts; beware! Cunning men on earth below Plots against thy peace prepare. • Guard thee, ere it be too late, Shining, fair, inviolate. Mortals, by ambition vest,

Satellites have caused to fly; 'Tis their boasted purpose next To deflower thy chastity. Courage! Keep thy wonted state, Shining, fair, inviolate.

(G, J. BLUNDELL)

O heavenly winger of the harmless arrows

Fashioned from shafts and feathers of pure light, As space between us dangerously narrows, Forgive the evils launched from our dark night!

For we arc not as you: we do not fill The universe with beauty and with peace.

Our arrows are of steel : we aim to kill.

Our lust for conquest gives us no release.

Though Shelley, Milton, Shakespeare, Homer,

hymned The loveliness of your resplendent face, We now assail it. How our light is dimmed In this eclipse of mind, this dark disgrace!

Flee not our lunacy; be still serene, The uninvaded empress of our skies!

Look down in calm on our distracted scene, And hide your features when our rockets rise!