THE DOGGEREL DAYS

The Sept. 9 Book Review letters included one submitted by Fred Scifers of Downey, headlined “Only God Can Make a Tree.” I thought it a classic and, at the bidding of a friend, I have composed the following piece--entitled “Meter Reader”--to express my appreciation to Mr. Scifers for his talent:

A Scifers named Fred

Must have seen, must have read

What you print in your Sunday Review.

For he hit on the nose

What I think of your prose,

Which I’d never been able to do.

In a manner unique,

More, or less, tongue-in-cheek,

He admitted to utter dismay.

And the words that he used

Didn’t leave me confused,

But, conversely, just helped make my day.

Is it folly to rhyme,

Is it just wasting time,

Is this poetry form obsolete?

GUEST and ARMOUR are gone,

But their words still live on,

And with TWAIN they will certainly meet.

KEN THIM

DOWNEY