Today’spoem

NEWS FLASH

With many great classics now bringing to us, A feast of delight on TV, Dickens and Hardy and Tolstoy et al, Are such a great pleasure to see. For Modernists, too, we have John Le Carré, Mantel and Georges Simenon. (The latter with Rowan, that Mr Bean chap, His look of insanity gone!) It seems, though, that Poldark, an old favourite, Is setting a trend rather novel. As quite a few heroes are shedding their shirts, And leaving the ladies to grovel. ‘Night Manager’ Tom (who’s the next Bond they say), Also appears rather cheeky. And what of that chap who was in War And Peace Who flashed a bit — though he looked peaky! (At least in Wolf Hall, the lascivious stuff, Was not quite so openly stark. As ladies who viewed, whether happy or not, Couldn’t see much in the dark!) So what’s going on with this obsessive thing, Of actors displaying their flesh? Sometimes in flagrante, and others when they’re, Scything like mad as they thresh. It’s all very well when the weather is warm, To act in such ways epidermal. But in snowy scenes when it’s 40 below, One should opt for something more thermal. Who next might we see on this erotic theme? Some of our quizzing bright sparks? Like Jeremy Paxman on Uni-Challenge In his baggy undies from Marks? Or old Simon Cowell who likes to display, A generous view of bare chest. Which isn’t X-rated, but given the chance He might start to expose the rest! Will classics in future continue this fad, Like Austen and the sisters Bronte? Will we watch their characters sitting about, In nothing but just the Full Monty? Robert Ben-Nathan,

Denham, Bucks.