British poets

British Poets

British poetry tends to be neglected in the U.S., atlthough not vice versa. Here are samples of four British poets, two English and two Scots.
From all but MacCaig, I picked poems that treat large subjects involving politics and violence. (They are not gruesome or wince-making at all.)

Brits write plenty of nature lyrics, as the MacCaig selections show, but it is the mission of the Poetry Revolt to expand our poetic horizons, hence this selection. Carol Ann Duffy's poem treats these subjects quite obliquely and in a humorous way through the prism of the tabloid press.

David Harsent

'Harsent's commitment to lyricism has caused him to fight hard over difficult territory, since he is not content to isolate shining moments, but is driven to tackle complex subjects. His solution is the dramatic sequence ... There is an acute sexual edge and much brilliant imagery.'
-- Peter Porter, Observer

Sniper

I am tucked up here out of sight. I am tucked up here
in the bell-tower of Our Lady of retribution: my own space
well-stocked and arranged just so. This tower was raised in the year
blank-blank, the year of the crow, the year of our disgrace.
I am tucked up here in the shadow of the cross
with my ear-muffs, with my quilt and palliasse,
kneeling up but looking down, like a man at prayer.

A woman carrying water crosses the square.
She is running slowly, running not to spill. Then a child, out into clear
view, going along diagonal and running like a hare
jink-jink. I am tucked up here, a sure thing, with my sausage and beer
and a field-stove to keep my fingers supple. Days pass.

. . . . . . . . .

to continue reading Sniper, click here

http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=18445

This poem is from David Harsent's book, Legion, and was published in
The Wolf, No. 11, 2005/2006

Carol Ann Duffy

Poet for our Times

I write the headlines for a Daily Paper.
It's just a knack one's born with all-right-Squire.
You do not have to be an educator,
just bang the words down like they're screaming Fire!
CECIL-KEAYS ROW SHOCK TELLS EYETIE WAITER.
ENGLAND FAN CALLS WHINGEING FROG A LIAR.

Cheers. Thing is, you've got to grab attention
with just one phrase as punters rush on by.
I've made mistakes too numerous to mention,
so now we print the buggers inches high.
TOP MP PANTIE ROMP INCREASES TENSION.
RENT BOY: ROCK STAR PAID ME WELL TO LIE.

I like to think that I'm a sort of poet
for our times. My shout. Know what I mean?
I've got a special talent and I show it
in punchy haikus featuring the Queen.
DIPLOMAT IN BED WITH SERBO-CROAT.
EASTENDERS' BONKING SHOCK IS WELL-OBSCENE.

Of course, these days, there's not the sense of panic
you got a few years back. What with the box
et cet. I wish I'd been around when the Titanic
sank. To headline that, mate, would've been the tops.
SEE PAGE 3 TODAY GENTS THEY'RE GIGANTIC.
KINNOCK-BASHER MAGGIE PULLS OUT STOPS.

And, yes, I have a dream — make that a scotch, ta —
that kids will know my headlines off by heart.
IMMIGRANTS FLOOD IN CLAIMS HEATHROW WATCHER.
GREEN PARTY WOMAN IS A NIGHTCLUB TART.
The poems of the decade . . . Stuff 'em! Gotcha!
The instant tits and bottom line of art.

Go to this URL for this poem and also for perhaps her most well-known poem, Prayer:

http://www.thepoem.co.uk/poems/duffy.htm

Ruth Padel

Pieter the Funny One

(PIeter Breughel was given the nickname "The funny one" by his contemporaries because of the children's game side of his work,)

PIETER THE FUNNY ONE

Paint us, they said, the world as it is. No more
of your children’s games and peasant weddings.
He painted Procession to Calvary, Saul
blasted by glory on the way to Damascus. At home,
now, transposing Holy Land to his own

familiar yellows, he did Adoration of the Kings –
in snow. He was good at snow. Go on
they said. He did Flight into Egypt,
a Census at Bethlehem, branchy veins
down a red hound’s legs.

Not one was satisfied. He made smoke
like dry ice lift over a maimed chandelier
in rubble just that shade of dun we see
night after night on TV
in a totally annihilated village.

. . . . . . .

There are ten more stanzas and a powerful ending. Alas, this poem has been replaced with a more recent one on her site:

http://www.ruthpadel.com/

Norman MacCaig

For some interesting comments on MacCaig, a major Scottish poet who wrote only in English, visit

http://www.jacobite.org.uk/maccaig/critic.html

Click on the colored links there, and also check out:

http://www.jacobite.org.uk/maccaig/longcrit.html

Here are a few more lines from Movements to end with:

Eel drills through darkness its malignant face.

. . . . . :
Thrashed by a crook, the cursive adder writes
Quick V's and Q's in the dust and rubs them out.