Poet Laureate in Ordinary to Her Majesty
On the day when dishevelled Marxists chanted their preposterous slogans on the streets of Europe, the old order struck back by announcing that "The Queen has been pleased to approve that Professor Carol Ann Duffy CBE be appointed Poet Laureate in Ordinary to Her Majesty". From Geoffrey Chaucer to John Betjeman, the office of Poet Laureate has been filled by extraordinary characters so it is to be hoped that Carol Ann Duffy will enhance it with some memorable verses. She's certainly got that poetic talent as her poem Talent shows.
TalentThis is the word tightrope. Now imagine
a man, inching across it in the space
between our thoughts. He holds our breath.There is no word net.
You want him to fall, don't you?
I guessed as much; he teeters but succeeds.
The word applause is written all over him.Carol Ann Duffy
Comments
Sorry, but no, I cannot take free verse seriously. It was good for a point, but that point has been made many decades ago. Between devout followers of the old ways such as Felix Dennis and the brilliant new school of the likes of Benjamin Zephanaiah, to continue professing to be a poet and write free verse is to insult the expressive capacity of the English language.
Posted by: Andrei Tuch | May 4, 2009 8:39 AM
Andrei, I cannot argue with that. Still, I contend that Ms Duffy has talent, even if it is of the minor kind.
Posted by: Eamonn | May 5, 2009 7:12 PM