Ode To Susie Dent

I tune in every teatime's hour

To Countdown on TV
As dictionary corner fills my
Heart with zest and glee.
It's quite the best finale
To an afternoon well spent -
For sitting there, with radiant hair,
The lovely Susie Dent!

I share the viewing habits

Of computer freaks and nerds
Who love to play the numbers game
And find nine letter words,
But in me there's a glowing fire
That burns with lustful rage
When Susie's nimble fingers
Scan the dictionary page.

There's not a word she doesn't know

From aardvark to zymase,
Her dextrous literary skills
Do humble and amaze.
I'd like to take her home one day
For lunch or morning tea
And talk of adjectival nouns
And etymology.

It's great to find big words

Or make the numbers fall in place,
It's joy to get conundrums right
Before the smartest ace,
But all I want's for Susie to
Be mine eternally
So I won't have to pine each day
Until it's half past three.