In Competition No. 2878 you were invited to submit a poem composed of three haikus that looks forward to the year ahead. The traditional Japanese haiku contains 17 syllables in three unrhymed lines of five, seven and five syllables (though these rules are not always observed by western poets). It is neatly summed up here by Stanley J. Sharpless:
This is a haiku.
Five syllables, then seven.
Then five more. Got it?
The winners take £17 each. Hats off to Max Ross for injecting a sliver of optimism into the almost all-encompassing gloom of the winning line-up. Happy New Year.
Ukip wins more seats.
Nation takes to drinking beer
And falling asleep.
Britain becomes known
As Europe’s sleeping partner.
New PM fights back.
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