The Riddlee asked the Riddler, "Oh won't you riddle me?
that I may pass from hence to thence
upon the Count of Three?"
"Just one riddle," the Riddlee said, "no less nor even more
that I may move along the groove
that leads to the Earl of Four."
Quoth the Riddler to the Riddlee, "a riddle I'll contrive
that you may travel across this gravel
towards the Duke of Five."
"For Fuck's sake," quoth the Riddlee, "and quit your stupid tricks
time is fleeting; I'm late for my meeting
with the Marquis at Six!"
The Riddler grinned an evil grin and counted to eleven
but all four nought: he stopped three short
upon Viscount of Seven.
The Riddlee pondered for a while, then said "I'll tell you straight:
just add one, now I must run
to meet the Baron Eight."
3 comments.
Why are two and three backwards?
T13 - Kindle Krazy
Good point. Being a perfectionist, I agonised over it for quite a while before publishing. It would have been great to go from 2 to 7 in strict order. But the first stanza has to be the first stanza, because "the Count of three" sets up all the following six puns.
Thanks for your comment.
Nessa, notwithstanding the feeble excuse in my previous comment, your feedback inspired me to rewrite "the Riddler" so the numbers go in sequence. Also, as a result, there is now an (admittedly half-baked) actual riddle in stanza five. Ta muchly.
COMMENTS will be PUBLISHED on my return from vacation: March 4