High Graphics | BBC SPORT>>
Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | AudioVideo |
Entertainment Contents: Showbiz | Music | Film | Arts | TV and Radio | New Media | Reviews |

BBC News Online: Entertainment


Saturday, 10 October, 1998, 05:35 GMT 06:35 UK

Top poetry is complete nonsense


Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan: Thanked the nation for its votes
Spike Milligan has come top in a poll of the UK's favourite comic poems with his nonsense verse On The Ning Nang Nong.

The former Goon, in a message recorded on Friday, said: "I have an important announcement to make - I believe my poem has been voted the favourite poem of children and adults - and I want to thank you very much for doing it. And that's about it!"

His nonsense verse came ranked above John Hegley's Malcolm and Roger McGough's Cake.

Both runners up were in the BBC TV studio for the announcement on Friday along with Four Weddings and a Funeral stars Charlotte Coleman and Simon Callow.

The UK's top ten comic poems chart read like this:

National Poetry Day wanted a laugh on its fifth birthday. Griff Rhys Jones announced the winner on a special television programme on BBC One.

But its not too late to send us your favourite funny verse. BBC News Online want to know what your top comic ditty is, be it a cautionary tale to political satire - or even song lyrics.

Is it better than Spike Milligan's wonderful nonsense?

(Reproduced by permission of Spike Milligan Productions Ltd)



Related to this story:
School for winning poets (08 Oct 98 | Education)


Internet links: Poetry Society | BBC Education National Poetry Site |
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
High Graphics | BBC SPORT>>
Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | AudioVideo |
Entertainment Contents: Showbiz | Music | Film | Arts | TV and Radio | New Media | Reviews |

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | ©