Vera Rich
by cricketjeff on December 23, 2009. © Jeff Green, All rights reserved
Ukrainian translations or the latest Georgian news
Her Manifold accomplishments and power to amuse
In carols penned for Christmas or in wicked Clerihews
Old Vera was a poet to admire
Traditional and crotchety but witty too at times
Regarded “write” and “prewrite” as most heinous human crimes
Said free verse was the hardest and admired pluperfect rhymes
Old Vera was a lady full of fire
She sonneted and villanelled and loved to read the forms
She also wrote in Russian ways that challenged English norms
I’ll miss her chiding comments when she whipped up little storms
Old Vera was a poet to admire
I hadn’t been on AP long when first we chanced to meet
I’d set a little contest, she decided to compete
I judged anonymously and her triumph was complete
Old Vera swept the board it would transpire
I’m sorry that this tribute cannot match the lady’s life
She watched the Soviet Union through a period of strife
And carved down all she learned there with a sharp poetic knife
Old Vera wasn’t one who could retire
Author notes
grossly inadequate I’m afraid, but I wanted to bow my head briefly, you will be
missed Vera Rich!
http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2009/12/23/24854/
English