More Honorable Mentions

More Honorable Mentions from Week 695 of The Style Invitational, which asked for humorous poems about notables who died in 2006:

Susan Butcher:
She captured four Iditarods;
Through blizzards, sleet and ice she rolled.
The frozen tundra fit her; odds
Are, dead, she doesn't mind the cold.
(Chris Doyle, Ponder, Tex., but sent from somewhere in Hawaii)

His colleagues couldn't understand
Why Milton Friedman had to die.
His thoughts were still in high demand --
Why would the Reaper cut supply?
(Andrew Malone, Silver Spring)

Charles Haughey, former prime minister of Ireland:
He died last June in Dublin;
They held a crackin' wake.
But since that time it's come to light
That he'd been on the take.
Sure, life is brief, and death is long,
And such is Nature's rhythm,
And Charlie Haughey stole a pile,
But couldn't take it with him.
(Brendan Beary, Great Mills, Md.)

Saddam Hussein:
Tyrant captured, gavel banging,
In the end he left us hanging.
(Dave Zarrow, Herndon)

Nena O'Neill, anthropologist:
To celebrate Nena O'Neill, I am hopin'
My wife will agree to a marriage that's open.
(Chris Doyle)

John Raeburn, agricultural economist during World War II:
Your famous slogan harkens back
To days of World War II:
Back then, we'd "Dig for Victory" --
Now, John, we dig for you.
(Brendan Beary)

Ann Richards:
Higgledy piggledy,
Governor Richards gave
"Poor George" a taste of her
Southern ideals.
Ann's sauntered off now, but
Uncompromisingly
She did it backwards, and
In her high heels.
(Anne Paris, Arlington)

James Van Allen:
Around the world your loss is felt:
Without you we'd be sans a belt.
(Michael Levy, Silver Spring)