Comments on: Between the lines: Andrew Motion’s advice to the next poet laureate

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:36:39 +0000

It might be sort of fun, though, or wicked, to write poems that were flattering or banal on the outside, but with arcane references to the bizarre habits of unwitting dignitaries, kind of like what Goya did in his paintings of the Hapsburgs.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:44:32 +0000

Hi SallyE. You’re right, you can’t please all the people all the time. I imagine it might be a good position for the right person, but pretty thankless and time consuming nevertheless. I do think Andrew Motion has done great work with the Poetry Archive.

By: sally evans

sally evans — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:35:56 +0000

well I think it is a good position for the right person. (it is a position rather than a job of course). if the Royal family want poems they could have them without so much publicity – I thought it was really sad that the Queen didnt really like the memorial Andrew M wrote for the Queen Mother, and took confort in a sentimental alternative for her own use. Andrew was (presumably) trying to please the literate public as well as the Queen & it wasnt possible to do both.

By: johemmant

johemmant — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:35:21 +0000

Yes, not a job I’d care for….more a dishonour than an honour.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:44:41 +0000

Yes, I think it must be awful, Sue. Imagine having to write odes about the royal family!

By: Sue Guiney

Sue Guiney — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:33:40 +0000

Yes, I just read an article about choosing the new poet laureate in the Guardian, and it quoted this statement. It is a horrible job. Imagine having to write all those poems that you know will be awful and that you couldn’t possibly ever want to write unless you were forced to. It’s worse than being in grammar school!