Don Barnard shares a few of his Laureate Moments to Remember
Being asked at the St Andrews Festival, ‘Are you really Birmingham Poet Laureate, or is that a joke?’ [Answers on a postcard please]
Having a tiny five-year-old burst into tears when I asked her to recite a nursery rhyme to the school assembly.
Doing a poem for the BBC between traffic-light changes in Leamington, only to have our best shot for ten minutes ruined by a friend dashing up and saying, ‘What are you doing?’
Agreeing to write a commissioned poem on Adult Learning, then being told the theme was Media Literacy [they got the one about the caterpillar, serves them right].
Sending two superbly subtle haiku to the Botanical Gardens for the Japanese Ambassador’s opening of the Japanese Garden, only to have them say, ‘Have you anything children could understand?’
Doing a poem about rugby in Cardiff.
Doing my fourth school assembly of the day in Wolverhampton, finishing with the one that mentions ‘bum’ and ‘willy’ and leaving a hall full of 200 kids in chaos for the teachers to sort out.
Being asked where I get my ideas from by an old lady in a knitted hat, a plaid coat, track suit bottoms and trainers, all in different shades of purple.
Reading my sequence for National Holocaust Day and being thanked by a survivor.
Seeing the delight on visiting poets’ faces when they get paid before the gig has even ended [will the organisation that still owes me after two months please note].
Finding the right metaphor for my next commissioned poem [the relief !].
Being called The Poet Lariat.
Handing over to my successor [I haven’t done it yet but I know I will cherish the moment when it arrives].
Page(s) 43-44
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