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 | Today Programme Report - Text Only Version 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 |
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| Tuesday 16 March, 2004 An ode to Jonny.... The Poet Laureate Andrew Motion has written a tribute to the England rugby team's World Cup triumph. But answering complaints that he waited too long after the victory to release the work, Motion joked that one of his reasons was the difficulty of finding a suitable word to rhyme with Jonny Wilkinson's surname. Motion got around the problem by ignoring surnames and referring to the England players by their first names only. Barnsley Football Club's Poet-in-Residence Ian McMillan takes another approach. Here's his tribute to England's rugby win: Oranges and Wilkinsons Being a poet is a difficult task Especially when people ring and ask For a poem on Jonny Wilkinson Oh, what were you thinking, son? Cos a rhyme for blinking Wilkinson Is going to take some milking, son? Being a poet is a difficult thing Especially when people ring For a poem on a word that hardly rhymes They give you ORANGE but you’d rather have limes They give you SILVER that’s a rhyming crime And ANCHOVY…well..I’ll take my time! Being a poet I much prefer Moon and June and fur and stir Cat and Mat and Long and Strong And Wilkinson seems to make my song Easier to get completely wrong It’s a lumpy word and it’s far too long! But being a poet I won’t say no I’ll jump in where most bards won’t go My door hinge Is coloured orange! And my Anchovies Are so damn’ chewy! And my family silver Yes my family silver Er my family silver is… Silvery! But being a poet is a difficult task I’ll pour a drink from my little hip flask And adopt my rhyming poetry mask And write a poem…just as soon as you ask! Ian McMillan. So, can you do any better? Can you find words to rhyme with "Wilkinson", and "orange", and "anchovy"? Or what about "Rooster Booster"? Click on the links above to hear Ian McMillan, Garry Richardson, and John and Carolyn's ideas, then send us your thoughts by emailing: today@bbc.co.uk In the meantime, here are some listeners' efforts: The name of Jonny Wilkinson Has had excessive milking on 91Èȱ¬ radio and TV. Our Celtic eyes all fail to see The appeal of this poor English lot. Have Ireland, Scotland, lost the plot? But here's a result that we would kill for: The Welsh with gold, the English, silver. Geraint Davies. O, anchor me, my anchovy, Set sail upon a Chekov sea of pain and pleasure Until the glass jar of destiny steals your small, salty, soul forever. Dick Langford. There is no rhyme for "orange" I guess a word so foreign Just doesn't fit our verse, And "silver", even worse! Colin Jordan. Poor Fred Flintstone said to Wilma, "we're nearly broke, we're out of silver, in the larder, only anchovy, I hate it, it tastes of muscovy duck, it's foul, all fishy and salty, I wish we could afford a balti, I know I shouldn't moan or whinge But I'd kill just for an orange". Wilma sighs and says "Don't worry, let's blow our savings on a curry!" Steve Thurlow. Across the briny sea Leaps the humble anchovy Seeking nets, to aid gastronomy. On pizzas he brings joie de v. No revolutionary, no leader he, How unlike Marx or Pancho V. The humble little anchovy. Trevor Dudley. Your 91Èȱ¬ tip Rooster Booster It would only take a 3 legged moose to beat it. Mike Fallaize. His sporting life by no means done, With that we’d all agree, It shimmers still like silk in sun (or oil on anchovy…?) Yet still he strives to be the best, At neither my nor your behest, To please himself, that’s much more fun. His name? It’s Jonny Wilkinson. Dick Steel. The 91Èȱ¬ is not responsible for external websites |
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