Today’s poem

ANTIQUES

I love the world of antiques, I watch it on TV. Those specialist heirloom seekers Are quite venturesome to me. They find a piece by accident And get it for a song, Then take it to the auction rooms And it suddenly makes a bomb! Sometimes it’s just ‘collectables’ And ‘vintage’ that’s desired, A period piece from a bygone age That’s so fervently acquired. A collector is quite ready, it seems, To pay any price for antiques, He’ll go to any lengths to secure The precious one that he seeks. Sometimes I see things on the show That I had years gone by, I cleared the shelves of all that stuff And now I wonder why! The auctioneer is in full swing, The room is in full throng, The hammer wavers — then we hear It’s going, going, gone! It’s a silver tray, or a work of art, Or a valuable piece of Delft. But I’m not surprised that I love antiques, ’Cos I’m practically one myself! Mrs Margaret A. Mattinson,

Cawood, North Yorks.

...andLimerick

Tyson the giant at the summit; Champ of the world, he has won it. And Murray, hooray! Is bound for a K. Looks good for the Brits now then, dunnit? Robert Ben-Nathan,

Denham, Bucks.