Two Russian intelligence pipal/

Suspected of poisoning Skripal/

With evil intent/

Insist they just went/

To look at a very tall stipal.///

There’s always a balance to be struck between reacting fast, when everyone is focused on the story, and taking time to get the best rhymes. Reading this tweet from @petexz after I’d posted my limerick on the story, I realised I’d missed a trick, so I’ve had a second bite at the novichock-laced cherry.