Attention Spoilers!

Today, through awful wind and weather,
An owl flew in far from her nest -
Exhausted, limp, and torn of feather,
I brought her in so she could rest.
But seconds after her alightment
I almost died from sheer excitement,
For then I saw the package she
Had carried was addressed to me!
My spoiler’s package! Yes! Fantastic!
I grabbed a knife and made a start
At pulling the whole box apart,
Then reconsidered – no, too drastic.
I’ll grab my camera, take it slow,
And make a little video.

I LOVE the bag! It’s sooooooo amazing!
It’s all that I’d been dreaming of!
And no amount of lyric praising
Could e’er express how much I LOVE
This bag. The colours – manly, muted;
The workmanship is indisputed;
The strap, the lining, pockets, size -
A wond’rous sight for knitters’ eyes!
Old canvas tote, begone! I curse you!
Good riddance to your crumpled weave.
But if you thought that I would leave
This ode at just one lousy verse, you
Had better think again – for now
It’s time to look inside… and WOW!

A knitter’s haven! Blesséd heavens!
My knitter’s haven! Oh my Lord,
I’m all at sixes and at sevens
Just looking at this knitter’s hoard!
Let’s start with fibre: gorgeous roving
In vivid colours, quite behoving!
They’re just the colours I would choose:
Such brilliant, deep and noble hues.
The sock yarn’s also quite befitting,
The bronze and blue of Ravenclaw,
And hand-dyed – who could want for more?
I know which yarn I’ll soon be knitting!
That plane trip to Australia now
Just doesn’t seem so dull, somehow.

But I digress – more package waiting!
The needles (Knit Picks Harmony)
She sent were great! I’m celebrating!
The pattern’s just my cup of tea:
Kate Blackburn’s Hareton Socks, and rather
A good idea for my own father!
And even the accessory
Liz chose was perfect just for me -
These tubes for double-pointed needles.
I’ve wanted these for ages! How
Could you have known? Amazing. Wow.
I ought to learn from one who wheedles
So artfully and on the sly -
I doubt I’d even dare to try.

But still the package isn’t finished!
Its goodness is still flowing out
Abundantly and undiminished,
And so too must my verse, devout.
Ms Wychwood’s curried all my favour
With shameless, cruel assaults of flavour:
With ginger bicsuits, chocolate treats
And Hagrid’s pocket Muggle sweets.
With scent she’s also proved alluring,
With gels for shower, shaving and
Deodorant for men – how grand!
So I’ll be smelling lovely, during…
SuDoku puzzles (Killer style)!
They’ll keep me entertained a while.

A precious knitted sock and sweater
I’ll hang upon the Christmas tree.
Liz couldn’t have done any better
Than this, her final gift to me:
A knitting journal, for designing,
For records, notes, ideas, (pining!)
So practical and full of style,
I’d wanted one for quite a while.
And now the only act remaining
Is to express my gratitude -
Alas, these words are far too crude -
My happiness defies explaining.
That’s why the best kit, I declare,
Should go to Lizzie – fair and square.

Eugene.

Quidditch Round 3

The duel is over! Now, relaxing,
I’m drinking coffee with a friend
And trying to forget the taxing
Duel that now has reached its end.
And then I saw I hadn’t yet done
My homework, which I need to get done!
And so I’ll keep it brief: b,c,
D,b,b,b,a,b,d,d.
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Semi-final

The duelling club this week is crazy -
As if I hadn’t work enough,
(It’s that, or I’m just getting lazy)
I find these lacy socks quite tough.
I guess I’ll have to learn to suffer -
The final duel will just be tougher,
If only I can find the strength
To knit these suckers to full length
Before Ms Flitwick beats me to it.
But Ravenclaws, your calls and cheers
On Ravelry have reached my ears,
And help me think that I can do it!
So keep it up, don’t let me down -
We’ll see who takes that duelling crown!

Busy Busy Busy

I’m feeling my excitement mounting.
I sent my package yesterday,
So now the days I’m slowly counting
While Lensky flies along his way.
Apart from that, life’s pretty stressful,
I really wish my hands were less full,
And so I think I’ll keep things terse
And leave this post at half a verse…
No wait – what goal would that be serving?
I pledged on my first Hogwarts day
To do my darndest, come what may,
For Ravenclaw! And so, unswerving,
I’ll carry on until the end,
‘Til this, the final line, is penned.

Ravenclaw homework

I’m feeling really uninspired.
This poem-writing’s really tough.
On top of that I’m really tired,
And work this week’s been really rough.
Alas, those deadlines do need meeting,
And all my homework needs completing,
So here I am, the task’s begun!
I’ll start off now with question one:
The question is, what’s Arth call Molly?
(It’s Mollywobbles); Dumbledore’s
Called Dumberton and Dunderbore;
The Pygmy Puff’s called Arnold (golly!);
And now the apparating D’s
(Just give me one short moment please…)

The first of them is Destination,
Determination’s number two,
The third, of course – Deliberation;
Dementors – what did Harry do?
Patronus Charm! And at the rites of
Poor Dumbledore, the many flights of
Arrows were fired by centaurs; Burned
Was Riddle’s wardrobe, so he learned
That Dumbledore was also magic.
The maggots were what Kreacher gave;
A garden gnome they did enslave
For use upon the tree (how tragic!)
The Nosebeed Nougat was the top
Attraction in the Weasleys’ shop.

The reason Harry made a threat to
Kick Ron out was his attitude;
The one that breaks the vow will get to
Find out what death is like (he’s screwed);
Cormac McLaggen was the smarty
Hermione went with to the party,
And Celestina Warbeck’s voice
Was Mrs Weasley’s favourite choice.
The only two who know the story
About the vision, I declare,
Are Dumbledore and Harry. There!
My homework’s finished! Hunky-dory!
And now I have a serious hunch
That I’ll be off to have some lunch…

Animalia

So now the secret’s out about me!
You know, I’m actually quite glad
That Olive had the brains to out me -
I thought I might appear mad!
I’ll offer now the next selection
In this, my puzzle-time collection,
And ask ye Ravens to decry:
What animal, pray tell, am I?
And once you’ve found the right solution,
Please, don’t just blurt it out somewhere,
But blog it as a story – share
It with an author’s execution!
To solve this rhyme’s arcane designs,
You’ll have to “read between the lines”…

Duelling club round 2

The battle’s over! Sorely tested,
I lay my needles down, and lo,
To my opponent (sadly bested),
Dear Enna, I must say, chapeau!
Your fighting spirit got me going
And gave me speed when I was slowing,
So some would say (I think it’s true)
I owe my victory to you!
To praise a thing of strength or beauty
Cannot be seen as truly fair;
To praise the thing that put it there
However, is our rightful duty!
And so this poem, on my behalf,
Will serve here as your epitaph.

Eugene.

Picture Scav Hunt

I’ve time for half a verse: my pictures
Of things that were on Olive’s list.
Although I know, my dearest witches
(And wizard), there are things I’ve missed.
But my originality marker
Is really special: from the darker
Side of Hogwarts, Queen of Sin -
Miss Enna Kirts of Slytherin!
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RAoK

Last night, with autumn leaves a-quiver
Awaiting winter’s harsh decree,
An owl alighted, to deliver
An unexpected gift for me!
Queen Frysia’s Random Act of Kindness,
Displaying thoughtful, well-designed-ness,
And colour-coded perfectly,
Diaplayed below (as you can see):
Some Bertie Bott’s delicious candy;
Bransonas gorgeous sock yarn (blue
And silver); wrist band, sticker too;
And Harmonies (they’ll come in handy!)
Plus verse from her and her son’s hand -
No finer Queen in all the land!

Ravenclaw House Quiz

Elixir to Induce Euphoria
May make you sing or tweak your nose,
But peppermint will change the story – a
Small sprig will put a stop to those.
The Acromantula’s strong poison
Per pint’s a hundred Galleons. Boys on
Your mind? Well, make them love-obsessed
With Amortentia – it’s the best!
A bezoar was Harry’s notion
When saving Ron; the Weasley’s tricks
Involved perfume and coughing mix
As packaging to smuggle potion;
And Draco’s failed “amusing” trick
Was hiccupping solution (hic!).

Where Darkness Powder’s been disposed of,
No fire or light spells will be seen;
The Draught of Living Death’s composed of
A single Sopophorous Bean
Plus wormwood, asphodel and root from
Valerian; And all the loot from
A unicorn hair that you’ll reap
Is 10 small Galleons (going cheap!)
And now the part for Extra Credit:
I much prefer to knit, that’s true;
My favourite weight is sock yarn; Ooh,
I’m such a yarn snob (there, I said it!)
So natural fibres all the way
(Some plastic in sock yarn’s okay).

The fibres I dislike are cotton,
Synthetics, mohair, stuff like that.
Effect yarns are especially not on
(Exception – see my Rasta Hat).
The pairs of socks I’ve knit are numerous,
‘Round 30; Favourite knit? That’s humourous!
Of course it’s socks! My favourite treat
Is scones with jam and cream to eat.
I drink both tea and coffee freely;
I have no online wish list (oops!);
The Rav’ says I’m in 19 groups;
A special item? Well, I’d really
Like DPNs (6-inch 00’s)
If somebody could get me those…