Family Values, By Wendy Cope
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Your support makes all the difference.Strangers smile at the book I'm reading.
Has Wendy Cope got National Treasure
status?
For wise words writ on life and breeding
And women and the men who care to date us.
Has Wendy Cope got National Treasure
status?
Or is it that my changing face amuses as I read
Of women and the men who deign to date us
And families whose value is dramatically
varied?
My face betrays a gamut of emotion as I read.
Critics make much of her move to soften
On escape from that family whose worth
varied
And, ages later, getting all loved-up with
Lachlan.
Critics make much of her move to soften,
But she's always offered us a range of
acidity,
Good for her – loved-up with Lachlan;
White wine in the garden and increased
fear of morbidity.
She has always offered us a range of acidity,
This one, in its latter pages, features some
commissions.
White wine in the garden, increased fear of
morbidity
Joins comment on the BBC and classical
musicians!
This one, in its latter pages, features some
commissions.
Wendy please keep writing and do not retire
or die.
Villanelling, trioleting better than musicians,
Your verses teach us lots of rules that poets
can apply.
Wendy please do not retire or die.
It's clear you sometimes harbour thoughts
of doom.
Your poems teach me which rules to apply.
That's how I learned to order this pantoum.
This new book seems to harbour thoughts
of doom
And allusions to your challenging
upbringing.
Through beautiful free verses and pantoum,
You address past love, nature and Christmas
singing.
Safe allusions to your challenging upbringing
Now your mum did from this mortal coil
depart.
You address past love, nature and Christmas
singing,
Female vicars, 9/11, matters of the heart.
Till should you, by necessity, this mortal coil
depart
Take comfort that your writing will survive
for perpetuity.
I'll help keep your name alive – I know each
book by heart
And quote the verse to anyone at every
opportunity.
Keep topping up the canon you've bestowed
for perpetuity;
Those wise words you write on life and
breeding.
I quote your verse to anyone at every
opportunity
And strangers smile at the book I'm reading...
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