by Mike Mesterton-Gibbons

“Hail Mary! Statue’s trip down the Wye raises chicken pollution issue”
—The Guardian

Along the River Wye, we wonder why
We see a strange contraption move downstream:
A statue on canoes is paddled by
Riparian enthusiasts, who seem
Encouraged by attention they have won
Nearby. But why? The Belmont Abbey choir
Erupts in plainsong when those gents are done,
Suggesting that their goal is to acquire
Some faithful … Yet, it’s not to fill the pews:
Our Lady of the Waters and the Wye
Floats down a Wye chock-full of chicken poos,
Which calls for ruffling feathers perched on high.
You can’t raise Wye awareness till you plot
Events that look quite bonkers but … are not?