We’re beginning every month this year with a haiku (or a longer poem made of haiku) relevant to the month.

All the poems can be found online at http://www.haikupoemsandpoets.com.

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with April; and for Easter I thought we should have …

Ten 16th Century English Composers

1. William Byrd (born c.1540) (right)
2. Thomas Tallis (born c.1505)
3. Christopher Tye (born 1505)
4. Orlando Gibbons (born 1585)
5. Thomas Weelkes (born 1576)
6. John Wilbye (born 1574)
7. Peter Philips (born 1560)
8. Thomas Tomkins (born 1572)
9. John Shepperd (born 1515)
10. John Dowland (born 1563)

If you’re interested to know more, all have Wikipedia entries.

We’re beginning every month this year with a haiku (or a longer poem made of haiku) relevant to the month.

All the poems can be found online at http://www.haikupoemsandpoets.com.

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with March …

Ten Entries from Ambrose Bierce’s The Devil’s Dictionary

1. Chop. A piece of leather skilfully attached to a bone and administered to the patients at restaurants. (right)
2. Dentist. A prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls gold from your pocket.
3. Cannon. An instrument employed in the rectification of national boundaries.
4. Noise. A stench in the ear. Undomesticated music. The chief product and authenticating sign of civilization.
5. Cat. A soft, indestructible automaton provided by nature to be kicked when things go wrong in the domestic circle.
6. Envelope. The coffin of a document; the scabbard of a bill; the husk of a remittance; the bed-gown of a love-letter.
7. Hand. A singular instrument worn at the end of the human arm and commonly thrust into somebody’s pocket.
8. History. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
9. Opera. A play representing life in another world, whose inhabitants have no speech but song, no motions but gestures and no postures but attitudes.
10. Adage. Boned wisdom for weak teeth.

We’re beginning every month this year with a haiku (or a longer poem made of haiku) relevant to the month.

All the poems can be found online at http://www.haikupoemsandpoets.com.

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with February, and especially for Lent …

Ten English Saints

1. Thomas Beckett (right)
2. Margaret Clitherow
3. Edmund Campion
4. John Fisher
5. Gilbert of Sempringham
6. Alcuin of York
7. Venerable Bede
8. Edward the Confessor
9. Hilda of Whitby
10. Margery Kempe

We’re beginning every month this year with a haiku (or a longer poem made of haiku) relevant to the month.

All the poems can be found online at http://www.haikupoemsandpoets.com.

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with January …

Ten Amusing UK Road Names

1. Frog Hall Lane, California, Surrey
2. Ha-Ha Road, Greenwich
3. Minge Lane, Upton upon Severn
4. Stoat’s Nest Road, Coulsden, Surrey
5. Titty Ho, Wellingborough, Northants
6. Butt Hole Road, Conisbrough, S.Yorks
7. Park Butts Ringway, Kidderminster
8. Dog Kennel Lane, Rickmansworth
9. No Ditch Bridge, Soham, Cambs
10. Fanny Street, Shipley

And there are so many more!

We’re beginning every month this year with a haiku (or a longer poem made of haiku) relevant to the month.

All the poems can be found online at http://www.haikupoemsandpoets.com.