In Competition No. 2779 you were invited to submit Maud’s reply to Tennyson.
It was Joyce Grenfell’s magnificently ball-breaking riposte to the invitation to ‘Come into the garden, Maud’ that inspired the challenge, and in general your responses referenced this section of the poem. You were on equally feisty form, having little truck with the narrator’s lurking in the bushes and talking to flowers. Honourable mentions go to unlucky losers Crispian Cartwright, Graham King, Douglas G. Brown, Frank Kershaw and Roger Theobald. The winners earn £25; W.J. Webster takes £30.
Alfred, dear, you are very sweet
To wait at the gate all night,
But I have danced quite off my feet,
And dawn offers little delight.
With the sky only changing from sable to grey
And dew sopping wet on the grass,
In response to your call, I fear I must say
Regretfully, Alfred, I pass.
You still can converse with the flowers of your choice,
In the way you are wonted to do:
I am sure they rejoice at the sound of your voice
With the same rapt attention as you.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in