In a 1985 interview with the New Republic, Mario Cuomo famously said that politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. Last week, we asked competitors to put their own twist on Kipling’s rousing poem. The winners are below
IF – For Nicola (by Brian Murdoch)If you can lose a referendum and still act As if you’d won it, time and time again; If you can claim you’re going to make a pactBut never make your real conditions plain;
If you can try to split from the UKThen six months later make it clear to see
That now you want to rule the lot your way,Yet still play down illogicality;
If you can woo the English viewers tooIn fierce debates on national TV,
So they don’t notice they can’t vote for you,And you’re not even standing as MP,
If you can do well in a vox-pop poll,And gain the maximum publicity,
Yours is the whole election rigmarole,And, which is more, you’ll keep the SNP!
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