Wordsworth

The weekly challenge called for an acrostic poem using the letters of one of these words: surcharge, airport, neighbours, vaping, economy.

Barbara Matthews of Kaiapoi writes: Nod “good morning” every day/ Each one on their working way./ In the weekends have a beer,/ Grass to cut and junk to clear./ Holidays we feed their cat/ But they feed ours, so tit for tat./ Occasional noise when party’s thrown/ Usually leads to little moan/ Really, though, we get on well,/ So hope that they will never sell. Max Reid, Dunedin: Another bloody flight delay./ I may, or may not, get away/ Regardless of the time of day./ People left to sit and pray/ Or rebook (or, as some might say)/ Regret that – in a Kiwi way – / They ever thought they’d fly. Daphne Tobin, Porirua: Every time I look into your/ Clear blue eyes, I want so much more./ Only you can lift my soul;/ No one else can make me whole./ On my own I’m nothing much./ My love, you’re the straw at which I clutch – / You OK with going Dutch? Sara Meadows, Helensville: Efficient/ Control/Of/Nearly all/ Our/Money –/ Yeeha. Rex McGregor, Auckland: Shame!/ Unscrupulous businesses/ Rake in stacks./ Customers must pay/ Holiday tax./ Arbitrary fees/ Rip off fools./ Greed puts on the squeeze./ Extortion rules.

But Lyn Toka of Cambridge is the winner: Newcomers to rural life?/ Extra smells and noise and strife?/ If mushrooms, pigs or bikes offend/ Go and see the council men./ Hector, badger, moan and bitch./ By- laws there’ll be: find out which/ One may let you terminate/ Ugly sights and smells you hate./ Really, farmers ought to know/ Such antisocial things must go! For the next contest, suppose an acquaintance asks, “What do you do in your spare time?” In prose or verse, send us an answer they probably weren’t expecting. Entries, for the prize below, close at noon on Thursday, July 5. Submissions: wordsworth@listener.co.nz or Wordsworth, NZ Listener, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141. Please include your address. Entries may be edited for sense or space reasons.