It even rhymes - but can you do better?
APPARENTLY it’s Global Scouse Day again this week (Weds 28th Feb) and the folks who own the Liverpool Gin brand have jumped aboard, with no less a fellow than Roger McGough, to launch a poetry competition.
As part of the search, the one time Scaffold member has penned his own ode to “inspire the region and to celebrate 10 years on from Liverpool being named European Capital of Culture.”
Naturally, it extols the virtues of his home city’s signature dish – scouse - but yours could be about anything - with organisers keen to point out that poetry is cool these days.
“The popularity of poetry has ebbed and flowed, but in recent times has exploded once again thanks, in part, to social media reinvigorating the art form into something cool, contemporary and exciting,” it says here.
McGough said: “Liverpool is renowned for its great poets and lyricists and it’s time to find more. Don’t forget, there are many different styles of poetry so it would be very hard to get it wrong; just trust your instincts and let your creativity flow.”
Original pieces of work are being sought from people 18 and over, no longer than 200 words long, to be submitted here by midnight on Monday 30 April 2018. A shortlist of 50 poems will be selected by Liverpool Gin to be read by Roger McGough, who will pick three finalists including a winner.
The finalists will receive a signed Roger McGough book of poetry and a bottle of Liverpool Gin and the winner’s prize will be presented at the Liverpool Gin distillery by Roger McGough himself during a cultural weekend in Liverpool.
Roger McGough’s Global Scouse Day
We became European Capital of Culture in two thousand and eight
So let’s celebrate ten years by stepping up to the plate
And what’s on the plate? I’ll give you a clue,
While Scousers the world over tuck into our stew
They’re scoffing scouse in Sydney while surfing on Bondi Beach
In Rekjavik they like it thick, lots of vodka within reach
There’s tartan scouse in Inverness wi’ whisky, neeps and tatties
In Mumbai they add curry paste and make sarnies with chapatis
A million clicking chopsticks mix scouse with rice in China
Japanese guzzling sushi-scouse agree there’s nothing finer
In the middle east they love to feast on scouse (they like it blind)
With peaches, dates and aubergines, and lemons (including rind)
Spanish mums add saffron to make it nice and yeller
‘Ole’ they shout when they bring it out...’Come and get yer scouse paella!’
The best Italian restaurants serve scouse-filled ravioli
In Rome, His Holiness has blessed our dish and made it holy
In every greasy spoon, every gastronomic venue
Today’s a day to celebrate, for scouse is on the menu
So write your verses, send them in, ‘cos we’re all on a mission
To fly the flag for Poetry, in this brand new competition.
