New British Poet Laureate 2009?

In the midst of wading through 1000-page books for revision at night and being a doctor in the day, something disturbed me – the poet laureate discussions.

When I came to Great Britain as a refugee I was too young to understand why my parents chose Britain.

Our culture is based on duty, honour, sacrifice and family as well as on love. Now I look back and I assume they chose Britain because it is built on the graves of brave men and women who knew about duty, honour, sacrifice and family.

The current economic crisis is built on something other than these values which made Britain great. It is built on me-ism, on what my country can do for me, NOT what I can do for my country. What does this have to do with the Poet Laureate?

Everything.

There is much grumbling about wanting to write ‘my own’ poetry and not write poetry to order, as writing poetry to order can cause slight discomfort due to public redicule for a less than good poem. So what?

I think there are 2 main points here:

1. the ability to write good poetry to order
2. duty and honour

Point 1 – I think it is possible to write good poetry to order. I have written 2 poems to order “Migration” and “wedding cleave” (which are good for my stage as a poet). Creativity is a process and a skill that can be aquired and improved upon, if you don’t subscribe to the myth of creativity. If I, a new poet, can write poetry to order shouldn’t a poet laureate or poet laureate nominee be able to do it in their sleep?

Point 2 – I love this country. It is my country now. I would stand up and take a bullet for The Queen and for Country. If I were ever asked to write a poem for Queen or Country I would think it a glorious honour and do it with joy.

Where do our children find role models for poetry these days if not the Poet Laureate.

The Poet Laureate should be able to teach the poetic craft (many are professors of creative writing/poetry no less!) and to show that it is a joy and an honour to serve Queen and Country through poetry.