Letter : Orange and purple poetry

From Mr Hyam Maccoby

Sir: Michael Fishberg (letter, 20 February) suggests "door-hinge" as a rhyme for "orange", but he does not see how the two words could be used in the same context. There is no difficulty about this, as the following clerihew shows:

Said the Doctor, "Oil

Is good for a boil.

But to cure a creaking door-hinge,

I recommend the juice of an orange"

However, I do not think that "door-hinge" is really a good rhyme for "orange" because of the intrusive "h". I suggest the following as an improvement:

Dean Inge, when at College,

Was renowned for the breadth of his knowledge.

On the history of the House of Orange,

It was impossible to floor Inge

Yours faithfully,

HYAM MACCOBY

Leo Baeck College

London, N3

20 February