Sunday 29 September 2013

Hello World update

The nations' flags on "Hello World"*
Now number fifty-three.
We can't arrange them neatly
So just have to let them be.

The USA's and Russia's
Went AWOL for a time,
And Italy's disrupted
Some lines within the rhyme.

The Spanish flag stays at the top:
Insists on being first.
And many won't play nicely,
So our cursor's often cursed.

"Velkommin" now to Iceland,
"Hej" Danes and Swedish too.
The latest view's from Finland,
But Norwegians - "hvor" are you?

Brazil has paid a visit,
But "venha?" Portuguese.
You're conspicuously absent.
Do the verses fail to please?

Switzerland has joined us,
"Wo bis du Oesterreich?"
Is it I've not written yet,
The sort of thing you like?

We've visitors from Cyprus.
What language do you speak?
As the mainlands too have joined us,
I'll try "yassou", which is Greek.

Or "merhaba", which is Turkish.
Would be understood by sheep!
And ditto by the Saudis,
Who have been to have a peep.

"Bienvenido" Costa Rica.
"Hola" Mexico,
Venezuela, Argentina...
But there's still a way to go.

Hello friends in Malta.
To Italy, a "ciao",
South Africa and Egypt,
Have both turned pale green now.

Polynesia and the Philippines
Have logged from the Pacific.
"Apa Kaba?" Indonesia -
Your green dots look terrific.

How did all you folk discover us?
Am really glad you did.
Please spread the word to others.
Help our wholly green globe bid.

PS
It seems that with the Vikings,
The world is rather smitten.
But no one reads King Henry -
The best verse I have written.


*The original "Hello World" blog was posted in, and can be found under, April 2013

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