Alessandra Liverani (Wollongong, Australia)

Charles Charles
Harrison Harrison
Darrowby Borg Capri
Looked great
in his striped bathers
Though he weighed a hundred and thirty three.
Charles Charles put on his bathers,
'Bathers, ' he wore, wore he;
'He’d never drown
playing the clown,
Frolicking in the sea.'

Charles Charles
Harrison’s bathers
Were very well renowned
Charles Charles Harrison's bathers
Were recognised all over town
Charles Charles Harrison's bathers
Were whispered about, were they:
They barely covered his bum
and none of his tum
Little to the imagination did they convey

John King
Put up a notice,
'LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
CHARLES CHARLES HARRISON'S BATHERS’
SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
LAST SEEN
SLITHERING SLOWLY:
QUITE OF THEIR OWN ACCORD,
DOWN HIS BUM
AWAY FROM HIS TUM -
FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD! '

Charles Charles
Harrison Harrison
(Commonly known as Chuck)
Told his
Other relations
He’d just spend a couple of bucks.
Charles Charles
Bought himself new bathers,
'Bathers, ' he bought, bought he:
'He’d never drown, playing the clown
frolicking by the sea.'

Charles Charles
Harrison’s bathers
Haven't been heard of since.
John King said he was sorry,
So did Queen and Prince.
John King
(Somebody told me)
Said to a man he knew:
If people wear bathers with loose elastic
Well what can anyone do? '

(Now then, very softly)
C.C.
H.H..
D.B.Ca Pri.
Looked great
in his striped B*****
Though he weighed 133.
C.C. put on his B*****
'B*****, ' he wore, wore he:
'He’d-never-drown-playing-the-clown-
froli cking-by-the-SEA! '

(Sydney, Australia - 2007)