Carol Ann Duffy , anyone?

Shweta · May 2, 2009

Wondering if anyone else has thoughts on Carol Ann Duffy, the UK's first female poet laureate. I've read a couple of the poems in her collection, The World's Wife, and loved them. I think she's fantastic and I need to read more of her poetry; planning to get The World's Wife, and would love other recommendations.

She's maybe a bit polarizing in the UK, being liberal, openly bi, and (as far as I can tell?) anti-royalist, and it being officially a royal appointment, which reminds me that well-behaved women seldom make history

She also has a poem that's been banned for "glorifying knife crimes" or something like that (I am unclear on details), which is... well a sore spot for many writers, I think. What's understanding and what's glorifying? I'd hate to have people assume I'm glorifying some of my POV characters

William Haskins · May 2, 2009

i was pleased that she got the nod. it's a distinguished milestone - her being the first female poet laureate (among the other distinctions you mentioned - but i think she will be responsible (and well-served) in not allowing those to overshadow her talent, which is all that matters in the final analysis.

Sophia · May 2, 2009

With apologies to Shweta, as this is a little off-topic, but I was reading this article on the BBC News site yesterday in which working poets in the UK give their advice in verse to Carol Ann Duffy, and was surprised to recognise Ashley among the poets, who I knew as a boy in my class throughout Junior school (ages 8 - 11). I sent him an e-mail letting him know I'd seen the article and wishing him the best, and we began exchanging e-mails and catching up. It was very nice to know someone from my childhood had gone on to be so successful in a creative field.

I'm pleased at Carol Ann Duffy's appointment, and think she will get more people interested in poetry.

Shweta · May 3, 2009

William Haskins said:
i was pleased that she got the nod. it's a distinguished milestone - her being the first female poet laureate (among the other distinctions you mentioned - but i think she will be responsible (and well-served) in not allowing those to overshadow her talent, which is all that matters in the final analysis.

I agree.
I think at a sociological level, it's heartening that someone with so many "strikes against her" has been recognized for her ability, but at a creative level, that only matters in that who she is affects her writing.

And personality does affect writing, of course; it's such a good thing that the first female laureate has a strong and independent voice and is not at all overawed at all the laureates to have gone before -- she will not follow in their glorious (yawn) footsteps but will rather take her own path.

(I also love that some of what she does, I'd term speculative

)

ElaraSophia said:
With apologies to Shweta, as this is a little off-topic, but I was reading this article on the BBC News site yesterday in which working poets in the UK give their advice in verse to Carol Ann Duffy, and was surprised to recognise Ashley among the poets, who I knew as a boy in my class throughout Junior school (ages 8 - 11). I sent him an e-mail letting him know I'd seen the article and wishing him the best, and we began exchanging e-mails and catching up. It was very nice to know someone from my childhood had gone on to be so successful in a creative field.

I'm pleased at Carol Ann Duffy's appointment, and think she will get more people interested in poetry.

Ooooooh. That's really cool, Elara! How great to have found that link to a classmate, and to have gotten back in touch