Changing 'pierce' Poem by Douglas Scotney

One poet unaverse
to altering words
for poetic purperse
was Edmund Spenser,
1552 to 99.

For purpose of rhyme,
for 'pierced',
'perst' he said.

'Johnny's pin perst
and Molly's blister burst, '
I wouldn't be surprised
if in Spenser I read.

He changed 'piercing'
to 'persaunt':
opened up mont,
pont, want, font,
restaurant;
haunt,
taunt, flaunt, daunt,
gaunt, avaunt, vaunt.

Vaunting, he said,
was common in the toff;
meaning
showing-off.