Good Morning

[AB Editor]

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope we are all well. There are crisp blue skies outside my window - I am unsure as to whether it will last!

I heard on the radio (BBC Radio 4) today that 58% of Primary School teachers can only recall two or less poets - to me this is maddness! When teachers don't have a basic cultural grounding what hope do the kids have? Anyone else find this particularly worrying?

Any thoughts appreciated,

All the best,

Spare Ed

[daffy654]

I hated poetry at school and i'm still not exactly keen on it.lol
Teachers should know the names of more than two poets though!

[NoMercy]

A woman recently complained to a school head when a teacher wrote on her daughter's essay, "Could of tried harder."

As she quite rightly said, if the teachers can't even speak good English, what hope is there for the pupils?

[logic]

how very interesting,
but i hate mornings, and everybody in them,

GRRRRR.

[pericat]

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I heard a shout
Get off me f...in daffodils.

[albaqwerty]

not mad keen on poetry either, but Primary School teachers pave the way for secondary school so I think the 58%
should hang their heads in shame.

[mccfluff]

is it morning? guess explain why i'm at my desk again, must of teleported to work again

of the top of my head tennyson, coleridge, blake, cobain, lennon

[logic]

on second thoughts, why should they rember poets,? if they want to read poetry they can go to the library and browse apt section, or go online even,

I wonder how many can remember millitary leaders like cromwell, King Harold, montgomery etc,
to my mind more important than poets.

[beejay1124]

good morning dearest spare ed
your presence is good to see
but i think you'll find that 'maddness' ^
is spelt with just one 'd'

[pericat]

Beejay - brilliant LOL

[logic]

well done beejay, I feel better allready. :-)

[Bobbisox]

Morning Spare Ed, I didn't like poetry either but can name a couple of poets, ie Keats, Wordsworth, rather have to listen to Limmericks, especially the funny ones, have a good day

Bobbi

[China Doll]

It depends on what you class as poetry. There is a school of thought that says lyrics from certain songs (probably not SClub) could be thought of as modern day poetry and children are always going to relate better to that than a poet from yester year...If you install an interest then most people will find their own niche so I think that's more important.

Personally I'm a Lord Rochester gal... Ramble in St James Park anyone?

[logic]

Yes CHINA,

That sounds jolly. :-)

[China Doll]

It certainly is... Sort of... :c)

[4getmenot]

erm purple ronnie.... erm

[mccfluff]

ahhhh China, nice call yesterday, fran played a blinder and no-one was the wiser! black coffee?

[China Doll]

Please love... road works and a hangover not taking me to my 'happy place' this morning... Do you have youtube where you work?

[mccfluff]

you are in a bad way 'please love'

you please and love in the same sentence, there better be a lot of sarcasm in ther somewhere! yes i've got you tube or was that aimed at 4get?

[AB Editor]

I personally like all that modernism stuff (Pound, Loy and Eliot especially) with a bit of the metaphysicals (Marvell, Donne etc) thrown in.

BeeJay - Good Call, a spell check must be implemented asap!

China - Jarvis cocker once said "pop music is just shit poetry put to music." He's not wrong! You have a point about poetry being a spoken/performed art, I believe this is why people don't like poetry - because it seems so dry stuck between the must pages of old books.

Logic - Poets and artists are the antennae of society, in comparison political and military figures lag behind (as "men of action," most often do!) while I suggest we all understand them I wouldn't give them priority. As Pound said: "Poetry is News which stays News."

As to whether the "if they're really into it they'll find it," is true or not: I believe that school is a place to be introduced to new things - if over half the primary school teachers out there know less than 2 poets there is no chance of an introduction being made at all! Let alone being taught by someone who actually likes it!

Why don't you like it Bobbi? If you want a funny poet (who is truly very good) try Tony Harrison? He explains inarticulation very well, especially when linked to grief.

All the best,

Spare Ed

[4getmenot]

Oh sticky tape
How are you feeling
Upon the white ceiling
You're going all brown
Soon You'll drop down
Onto The floor
You're sticky no more