Your New Year challenge was 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 the late Stanley J. Sharpless:
This is a haiku.
Five syllables, then seven.
Then five more. Got it?
The winners below take £17 apiece. Hats off to Max Ross for injecting a sliver of optimism into the almost all-encompassing gloom of the winning line-up. And Happy New Year to you all!
Alan MillardUkip wins more seats. Nation takes to drinking beer And falling asleep.
Britain becomes known As Europe’s sleeping partner. New PM fights back.
‘Ukip if you want,’ Says Premier, ‘the PM Is not for kipping!’
Chris O’CarrollAnother Royal Baby — Harry and Andrew Further from the throne.
Tortured genius played By Benedict Cumberbatch Wins for Best Actor.
Egyptian goddess, Mother of Horus, look who Goes by your name now.
Labour’s election promise to respect Brexit and at the same time reset our relations with the EU was easy to make. Keir Starmer must have realised that riding both these horses at the same time might be troublesome, but with an election to win he doubtless hoped for the best. If so, he has been
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