Contest # 127 OPEN TO ALL & "Ye Olde Winklers on Wodensdaye" by Lyndon at All poetry

Part A

Read the following and enjoy. [John Skelton was the most significant poet between Chaucer and Spenser. He was tutor to Henry VIII and Poet Laureate to the Court of Henry VII. ] 1460-1529

By John Skelton

WITH lullay, lullay, like a child,
Thou sleepèst too long, thou art beguiled!

"My darling dear, my daisy flower,
Let me," quoth he, "lie in your lap."
"Lie still," quoth she, "my paramour,
Lie still hardily¹, and take a nap."
His head was heavy, such was his hap,
All drowsy, dreaming, drowned in sleep,
That of his love he took no keep,
With hey, lullay, etc.

With ba, ba, ba, and bas, bas, bas!
She cherished him both cheek and chin
That he wist never where he was;
He had forgotten all deadly sin!
He wanted wit her love to win:
He trusted her payment and lost all his pay;
She left him sleeping and stale² away,
With hey, lullay, etc.

The rivers rough, the waters wan;
She sparèd not to wet her feet.
She waded over, she found a man
That halsèd³ her heartily and kissed her sweet;
Thus after her cold she caught a heat.
"My lief,⁴" she said, "rowteth⁵ in his bed;
Iwys⁶ he hath an heavy head,"
With hey, lullay, etc.

What dreamest thou, drunkard, drowsy pate?
Thy lust and liking is from thee gone;
Thou blinkard blowboll⁷, thou wakèst too late;
Behold thou liest, luggard, alone!
Well may thou sigh, well may thou groan,
To deal with her so cowardly.
Ywis, pole-hatchet,⁸ she blearèd thine eye!
Quoth Skelton Laureate.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Confidently.
Stole.
Embraced.
Love.
Snores.
Indeed.
Blinking Drunkard.
Poleax carrying soldier.

Modernized and glossed from the excellent

Skelton, John. Poems. Robert S. Kinsman, ed.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969. 1-2.

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Part B: Respond to this poem with a poem of your own written in like kind [But use contemporary English.] 15 to 30 lines.

This contest is hosted by Ronald Wiseman. Enter up to three separate poems.

Contest is Over

Contest was judged on October 13, 2008
Rewards: Gold: 3000, Silver: 2020, Bronze: 1010, Honorable mention: 1 people
Final notes:
The poems geneerally had a measure of wit. The Gold and Silver ones displayed that well and were in good measure, Skeltonic in texture.
I thank those who bravely entered. Good fortune favours the brave (often).
GOLD: The author of "Easy Come and Easy Go". My mother used to say this when I lost a handkerchief. Now my wife says it when I lose paper change! Congratulations.

SILVER: A more deliberate or deliberated-upon poem: "Holy Lamentations". There is a touch of Biblical sarcasm, I feel, in the title. Well done!

BRONZE: "Sorrow" made up of narrating couplets but you stuck to your theme.

Finally, the valiant effort in "In the Spirit of ..."

Thank you all. Ronald Wiseman ~ Host and judge.

Contest Winners

Easy Come and Easy Go

It's easy come and easy go,
and who will pay, we never know!

by MargaretG 54 lines, 11 comments, on Sep 24 1:15 PM 2008. In Society, Fiction, Contest
Gold trophy winner

• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Holy lamentations

You know, you know, my man -
Her moans heat within my ears.

by FransB 32 lines, 10 comments, on Oct 6 10:49 PM 2008. In Contest, Life, Humor
Silver trophy winner

• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Error: Unable to find finalist item 4562371, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
In the spirit of....

Take my shifting mind
and in the mill do grind

by Mistermuggs 37 lines, 2 comments, on Sep 25 8:48 PM 2008
Honorable mention

• Commented on by judge. [remove]