All for Laurie Lee

(written for his 80th birthday)

I love the way he uses words

Will they work the same for me?

‘Sorry’ said the words,

‘We only do it for Laurie Lee’

But words are common property

They’re available and free

Said the words: ‘We’re very choosy

And we’ve chosen Laurie Lee’

I want to write like he does

But the words did all agree:

‘Sorry son we’re spoken for,

We belong to Laurie Lee!’