My first attempt worked quite well. While I wasn’t word perfect by any means, I was able to recall most of The Eagle, nearly two months after I learned it.

So I decided to try another one today, while walking my lap around Kirkstall Abbey and the Canal (which had frozen! Not a lot, but enough to be very magical).

I picked this poem as it’s one I almost know by heart already and I figure why not go for the easy win? I mean hopefully I will take on unfamiliar and longer poems but for right now – anything that keeps the brain active is A Good.

Wendy Cope has that wonderful knack of distilling large concepts into catchy accessible poems. This is one that was particularly easy to memorise…for some inexplicable reason.*

HE TELLS HER

He tells her that the earth is flat —
He knows the facts, and that is that.
In altercations fierce and long
She tries her best to prove him wrong.
But he has learned to argue well.
He calls her arguments unsound
And often asks her not to yell.
She cannot win. He stands his ground.

The planet goes on being round.

*Yes I literally visualised a particular person.