In Competition No. 3166 you were invited to supply a poem either celebrating or lamenting the cancellation of Philadelphia’s annual naked cycle ride.
This enormously popular event, whose aim is to promote body positivity and eco-awareness, sees throngs of cyclists, in varying degrees of undress (total nudity optional), complete a ten-mile course around the streets of Philly. This was to have been its twelfth year, but then Covid struck.
The inevitable smut was tempered by echoes of Wordsworth and Browning. In a large field, I admired Richard Spencer’s neat reworking of ‘Daisy Bell’; Maggie McLean, and Janine Beacham also shone. The winners, printed below, pocket £30 each.
Philly medics are assessing Covid risks, and it’s depressing;They’re determined to be messing with our ride,(That’s our cycling expedition where the public exhibitionOf the parts used for coition is our pride.)They say danger must require us all to halt this nasty virus, Whose spreading should inspire us all with fear; Which has left us now agreeing with reluctance to there beingNo nudie jamboreeing for this year. So
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