Wordsworth

Gabe Atkinson

Readers were invited to submit definitions for the mysterious word covfefe, which was tweeted very late at night by Donald Trump.

From Ann Love of Nelson: to covertly reposition a golf ball to a player’s advantage. Palmerston North’s Hans Zindel: to attempt to say “confetti” after sustaining a serious tongue injury.

Clare Loudon of Auckland: to covet more than one female. John Burkett of Palmerston North: covfefe: to make an election promise while your mouth is full of cake. Mike Mellelieu of Tauranga: a rare species of parrot that utters a highpitched tweeting sound when attacked.

Barbara Matthews of Kaiapoi: the art of distracting from criticism of oneself by introducing a new element to the discussion. Queenstown’s Brent Carlsson: a great word, a really great, great word. The best word in the dictionary. And it’s got lots of vowels; more than most other words – wonderful American vowels.

Win Lunt of Whakatane: a leaky vat holding a maturing Russian cheese.

Anne Dorne of Motueka: to request immediate assistance, via Twitter, in covering- up evidence of one’s felonies and/or fetishes. Bay of Plenty’s David Wort: covfefe: a rallying cry, thought to have originated as an acronym of ‘Clinton, Obama, Vladimir, Friends, Enemies – Fire Everyone!’

But Paul Kelly of Palmerston North is the winner with a tasteless orange with a particularly thin skin.

For the next contest, send in a brief poem beginning with this first line of Edgar Allan Poe’s Alone: From childhood’s hour I have not been … Entries, for the prize below, close at noon, Thursday, July 13 Submissions: wordsworth@listener.co.nz or Wordsworth, NZ Listener, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141. Please include your address.

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The year is 2033, and humanity’s first crewed mission to Mars is about to become a reality. This miniseries shows how technology will enable the first attempt at a mission to the red planet.