Poets desist such a headline could I resist? a chance missed. Royal Standard licensed for music but the word must not be heard. Unlicensed verse (Excuse me Sir, do you have a licence for this poem?) What could be worse? Makes one curse. The accuse

'Poets desist'

such a headline

could I resist?

a chance missed.

Royal Standard

licensed for music

but the word

must not be heard.

Unlicensed verse

(Excuse me Sir, do you have a licence for this poem?)

What could be worse?

Makes one curse.

The accused was heard to say,

in a declamatory sort of way,

some poems and verse, without

a licence for word or play.

A backing by guitar or drum,

banged or strummed,

might be a musical performance

and keep officials shtumm.

Compared to music is verse more inflammable?

Or will it cause riots or a crowd uncontrollable?

Surely even an apparatchik can see

that verse and rhyme must be allowable.

Petty? Of course not, who would think such a thing? After all rules is rules.

IAN ROBERTSON

ELY

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