I am tired tonight, and a little out of sorts, being way behind in both my work and my play, with little relief in sight. Given the mood I am in, I should note that I chose Roger McGough's poem, "Let Me Die A Youngman's Death," as this week's offering not because I was thinking about death, but because I was trying to cheer myself up a bit.

For this is a funny, light poem, as most of McGough"s poetry is, and as such, is designed to make someone who is tired and out sorts feel better, which it did for me when I found it, after a brief search, in a well worn paperback book entitled The Nation's Favourite Poems, which I think I bought in Heathrow on the way home some years ago when I used to travel to such places. According to the sticker on the front, I received a 50p discount from the original price of £5.99, which seems like a lot for a little paperback poetry book, but which has turned out to be a great bargain in terms of pure enjoyment.

This book was the result of a poll conducted in England in 1995 to determine that nation's favorite 100 poems in commemoration of National Poetry Day. McGough's little verse came in 87^th, which indicates that it is well known and well-loved in England, although not as well-known and well-loved as Kipling's "IF," which came in first, and which, interestingly enough, has been described to me as "my favorite poem" by more people - including many clients of The Political Forum- than all other poems combined. Number 88 was, by the way, Thomas Hardy's "The Ruined Maid," which was featured in these pages early this summer.

It is my wish that this poem cheers you up, gentle reader, as it always does me, and did once again tonight, although I have no illusions as to it replacing "IF" as everyone's all-time favorite.