02-01-2012, 10:23 AM
Well. It does sound like a fairly nasty case of sour grapes, or perhaps yet another instance of a feudal remnant desperate to hold on to class divisions and trying to use the tried-and-true academic snobbery to do so.
I disagree with Ms Duffy in many cases and I fear I don't much like her poetry, but the argument is not one of preference, it is one of the right to "democratise" poetry. How dare a career academic from a clearly privileged background demand that poetry remain in the realm of the elite?
For the sake of balance, I have sought out some of Sir Geoffrey's poetry and I confess, I prefer his -- but his attitude is appallingly exclusionist.
On the other hand, the post of Poet Laureate is and always has been about politics. I don't believe it's possible for a Laureate to properly represent poetry when being unable -- by the nature of the appointment -- to express anything contrary to an official nationalist stance.
I disagree with Ms Duffy in many cases and I fear I don't much like her poetry, but the argument is not one of preference, it is one of the right to "democratise" poetry. How dare a career academic from a clearly privileged background demand that poetry remain in the realm of the elite?
For the sake of balance, I have sought out some of Sir Geoffrey's poetry and I confess, I prefer his -- but his attitude is appallingly exclusionist.
On the other hand, the post of Poet Laureate is and always has been about politics. I don't believe it's possible for a Laureate to properly represent poetry when being unable -- by the nature of the appointment -- to express anything contrary to an official nationalist stance.
It could be worse