Having been denied a day in Marsden last Sunday, I sat at home and nursed my cold, the cause of my non-appearance there, and read some Hilaire Belloc: wonderful! I was thus inspired to write the following (no literary merit at all, but I had great fun scribbling!) Hope you enjoy:

Firstly:

Baby otters are wonderful creatures,

I've often heard it said.

They brush their teeth without demur

Before they go to bed.

Secondly:

 

Alfred's love went  unrequited

Till his gaze one day alighted

On Lord Byron's poetry :

He rehearsed them carefully -

Front to back, and back again ,

Read them to his love, Elaine -

 

Totally unprepared was she

For this tome of poetry :

"Stop!" she cried, without ado ,

"Oh! Stop"and I will marry you!"

 

Naturally he was quite delighted

That his love was now requited

 

And Elaine , she ever enigmatic

Who has no sense of the dramatic , 

Has stored Lord Byron in the attic

 

- the end -