Spectator competition winners: breaking up is hard to do

The invitation to competitors to write a poem entitled ‘Breaking up is hard to do’ produced an inventive, accomplished entry full of witty flourishes, from David Kilshaw’s Brexit-inspired twist on Neil Sedaka — ‘Commons, commons, down, dooby, do, down down…’ — to Dorothy Pope’s poignant haiku — ‘plum blossom petals/ mistaken now for snowflakes/ so cold is your love’. Philip Roe and Adrian Fry were especially strong performers but they were pipped by the winners below who earn £25 each.

Brian Murdoch In Dame Europa’s school the teachers peered Out at the children thronging the school yard. The term seemed to have lasted forty years, But just now, breaking up was rather hard.

Some kids still milled about close by the school. The French fought with each other on their own. The German Head Girl tried to keep control, But had to lend the Greeks their bus-fare home.

The British children dawdled near the road Hoping someone would tell them what to do.