[New-Poetry] Carol Ann Duffy gets the laurels

[Robin Hamilton]

From: jforjames at aol.com

<<
Not so different from Wendy Cope, who rejected the post (wants it abolished) 
or from Philip Larkin (also rejected it), who many consider the finest 
English poet of the second half of the last century - or, for that matter, 
from Emily Dickinson.
>>

As a point of information, Wendy Cope didn't reject the post, since she was 
never offered it.  (Apart from anything else, she doesn't have much of a 
body of work behind her.)

Some time ago, she said she wouldn't accept it if she were offered it.  (I 
could say the same thing.)

As to Larkin, I suspect he had to be offered it (even though the Powers That 
Be knew he'd turn it down).

            And now we have Carol Anne Duffy for ten years ...

                                :-(((((

        (Oh well, at the worst, she's a better poet than Andrew Motion. 
Which, admittedly, isn't saying much.)

U.A.Fanthorpe must be spinning in her grave.

        Possible women laureates?

Anne Stevenson (or is she Technically American?)
Libby Houston
Liz Lochead

        --  Robin