Entry from Kerry Nicholls
A Valentine’s poetry competition for lovers of history
A poll will run from 4–12 February to choose the winner, who will be announced on Valentine’s Day.
A Murder Mystery Valentine
Agatha! Consummate monarch of crime
Conned your hemlock, cyanide and strychnine
In a terrible war, where poisons galore
Became grist for the mill of your mind.
Your Valentine is a cat-and-mouse game
Involving murder and blackmail and maim
You came to this set via sisterly bet
Birthed a Belgian detective of fame.
To your grand oeuvre you added a Miss
Who Marples murders with prim steely bliss
The twists and the turns as plot simmers and burns
Weaves them into a clandestine kiss.
A smoking gun triggered sudden disgrace
Errant spouse caught in a sordid embrace
You practised no arts with a blowpipe and darts
Just stole off with no clues and no trace.
Starting fresh as a trench digger’s wife
Cracked the clues to the joint venture of life
You settled in Devon, a scribbler’s heaven
Dame Commander whose pen is a knife!
Kerry Nicholls
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re delighted to announce a brand new writing competition created especially for fans of Jodi Taylor.
This time, we’re inviting you to put pen to paper and compose a Valentine’s Day poem addressed to a famous person from history. The poem can be romantic, witty, heartfelt or mischievous, but it must include rhyming couplets. Submissions close on Saturday, 31st January, after which all entries will be published on Jodi's social media for readers to enjoy. The winner will be chosen through a public poll held between 1st and 13th February, and announced on 14th February. As a lasting keepsake, the winner will receive a beautifully framed copy of their poem.
CLICK HERE to submit your edited and formatted entry in Word document form.
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