Sunday, August 30, 2009

Out Spotlight XCV

Today's Out Spotlight is Carol Ann Duffy, the Poet Laureate of Great Britain, who is not only is the first woman laureate, she is the first Scot, the first mother, and the first lesbian in it's 341 year history.

Carol Ann Duffy, is a poet, playwright, and freelance writer, Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University and Creative Director of the Manchester Writing School, in the university's Department of English.

Born December 23 1955, in Glasgow, the oldest child of Frank Duffy and May Black, and the only girl to four boys. she moved to Stafford, England when she was six, her father working as a fitter for English Electric. Her father also ran as a parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party and managed Stafford Rangers football club in his spare time. Raised a Roman Catholic, she was educated at Saint Austin's Roman Catholic Primary School, St. Joseph's Convent School ) and Stafford Girls' High School - where her literary talent was encouraged by English master J. A. Walker. She was also influenced by the 'Liverpool poet' Adrian Henri.

Duffy was a passionate reader from an early age, and she always wanted to be a writer. "She began writing poems when she was 11; when her English teacher died. She began publishing her poetry at 16. Many of her poems reflect on time, change, and loss." In dramatizing scenes of childhood, adolescence, and adult life, whether personal or public, contemporary or historical, she discovers moments of consolation through love, memory, and language. She explores not only everyday experience, but also the rich fantasy life of herself and others.

The origins of Britain's poet laureateship are hazy, but it is believed by many that Ben Jonson was the first to hold the position; the role (along with a pension of 100 marks a year) was conferred on him by James I. Other laureates include William Wordsworth, Alfred Lloyd Tennyson, Cecil Day-Lewis and John Betjeman.

With a such a rich history of poets, and the gravity of the position, Duffy thought long and hard about accepting the offer.

"The decision was purely because they hadn't had a woman," she said. "I look on it as recognition of the great women poets we now have writing, like Alice Oswald" and for all the women considered for the laureateship over the years, the first, Elizabeth Barrett Browning in 1850, when Wordsworth died, but Tennyson was chosen instead. Forty-two years later, Christina Rossetti was overlooked upon Tennyson's death, and rather than appoint a woman to the position it was left vacant until Alfred Austin, viewed today as one of the worst ever laureates,was appointed.

Taking the position, Duffy said she was ready to deal with the scrutiny which comes with it, suggesting that her experience as one of Britain's popular modern poets would be beneficial, but that she would vigorously defend her private life.

Duffy, narrowly missed out on the laureateship to her friend Andrew Motion in 1999 after the death of Ted Hughes, who had held the post since 1984, but her friend Motion was eventually offered the role. It was widely speculated at the time, based on remarks from a Blair staffer that Duffy was passed over in part because Blair was concerned about how Duffy's sexuality would go over with the public. Others saying she was reluctant as well to take up the prominent role given her status as a mother in a lesbian relationship. Duffy has a 13-year-old daughter, Ella, and ended a 10-year relationship with Scottish poet Jackie Kay a few years ago.

At the time, Duffy told the Guardian that she "didn't want to do the thing", but when "all these stories started appearing, I got scores of letters from women saying do it, do it, do it. But I was never really sure. I never really came out and said whether I wanted it or not." Quoted as saying that the role needed to be "much more democratic", being more the people's poet than monarch's, and that she would "not write a poem for Edward and Sophie - no self-respecting poet should have to", she'd actually backed the late UA Fanthorpe for the post.

This time, she declared herself ready to tackle the official verse which the laureateship requires, but only if the occasion inspired her. "If not, then I'd ignore it," she said.

She plans to donate her yearly stipend of £5,750 to the Poetry Society to fund a new poetry prize for the best annual collection. "I didn't want to take on what basically is an honor on behalf of other poets and complicate it with money," she explained. "I thought it was better to give it back to poetry." However, she did asked that her "butt of sack" – 600 bottles of sherry traditionally given to the laureate – be delivered up front, after learning that her predecessor Motion has yet to receive his payment.

One of the bestselling poets in the UK, she has managed to combine critical acclaim with popularity: a rare feat in the poetry world. Her 1999 collection The World's Wife, which saw every poem told in the voice of a wife of a great historical figure, from Mrs Aesop to Queen Herod, was the first to gain her mass appeal.

Duffy received the OBE in 1995 and went on to add a CBE in 2002. She won the TS Eliot prize in 2005 for her collection of linked love poems, Rapture. She has also won the Dylan Thomas award, the Whitbread poetry prize, the Somerset Maugham award and the Forward prize, and features regularly on school and university syllabuses.

“If I am a lesbian icon and a role model, that’s great, but if it’s a word that is used to reduce me, then you have to ask why someone would want to reduce me.” She said she preferred to define herself as “a poet and a mother — that’s all.”




23 comments:

Bali H'ai said...

. . . she did asked that her "butt of sack" – 600 bottles of sherry traditionally given to the laureate – be delivered up front, after learning that her predecessor Motion has yet to receive his payment.

Awesome OutSpotlight, as always. Fascinating. :)

like this one said...

Talent by Carol Ann Duffy

This is the word tightrope. Now imagine
a man, inching across it in the space
between our thoughts. He holds our breath.

There is no word net.

You want him to fall, don't you?
I guessed as much; he teeters but succeeds.
The word applause is written all over him.

Special K said...

Someone over at Spooky's wrote that Austin and Sophia are in LA.

I can see why being seen has it's benefits for Austin, just for the LA thing. She is always going back to LA and he can travel openly back to LA. People can think its because of her, but he can be back home with Jake without suspicion.

prairiegirl said...

Wow, excellent spotlight. I had to google poet laureaete because I had no idea what it was. Good for her. Sounds like quite an honor and it's too bad sexuality has to even be discussed around it. But kudos to her for doing it. I thought the bit about her wanting the sherry up front was funny.

I like poetry but I still don't read it much. I bought a book on Emily Dickinson but have yet to finish it.

I messed up on spooky's journal. I thought that pic of Austin was recent and I was yea'ing all over the place, LOL. Rats. Oh well, red in the face, wasn't the first, won't be the last.

If anyone gets a chance to see highlights of the eulogies given yesterday for Sen. Ted Kennedy, watch them. All 3 were excellent. Teddy Jr.'s was absolutely profound and I will never, ever forget it. For someone who really didn't know much about Ted Kennedy, I learned so much from what his son said and I was enthralled with every word. What an eloquent speaker and an excellent deliverer he was. The story he told about his dad helping him up the hill when he first had his artificial leg was a story that could be told in every avenue possible at any time and it would just make you choke up something terrible. It was in a simple word, beautiful.

Pres. Obama's speech was, as an analyst said on CNN, pastorial. It was just so soothing and comforting. Those are the only 2 words I can think of. They were beautiful words and just as true as I'm sitting here.

What was so beautiful about this service was seeing what an incredible man Ted Kennedy was and I'm not talking about politically because I'm just not that familiar with that. He was an incredible uncle to his nieces and nephews, and he was a wonderful father to his kids. The stories they told were just tear-inspiring.

Watching that service had an impact on me in seeing the impact of one life on so many.

Special K said...

The US has Poet Laureates as well

Kay Ryan is the 16th laureate.

Here's a little about her
US Poet Laureate Kay Ryan

Florida Tom said...

It is hard to believe all the Kennedy brothers are gone. Ted sure had to be a dad to so many. The parts of the services I saw were inspiring. RIP Ted.

To me Caroline is the last of the Kennedys that the world has felt so close to. If in America there is royalty Caroline is now Queen.
Sweet Caroline.

Florida Tom said...

President Obamas speech was beautiful. I think one of the big turning points of the Democrat primary election was Teds and Carolines endorsement of then Senator Obama.

Great spotlight spesh.

Special K said...

While we called them BushNic, seems that Sophia/Austin fans in the OTH fanfdom, have dubbed them "Sophin."

Oh the wheels are starting to turn. ; )

Special K said...

Remember the tweet about Jake and Warren Beatty at the Polo Lounge?

Well it looks like it was a Bollywood actress that had tweeted about them, and that Jake and Warren were having a business dinner.

"While dining with friends at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel, Mallika met Oscar winning actor-producer-director Warren Beatty and Jake Gyllenhaal, star of the upcoming Hollywood film Prince of Persia. Beatty and Gyllenhaal were finishing a dinner meeting when the actress, who's walked in with some of her friends saw them."

Mallika met Prince of Persia

pic said...

Reeke in Venice. IHJ

US Reekly said...

Reeke right on time. Did they double with Austin and Sophia?

sienna said...

yes, just as i was beginning to hope we were on the tail end of Reeke madness, there's more. sigh.

so i went to IHJ and looked at the pictures, all 33 of them. i must say, if there was an award for the most boring movie stars ever in the history of time, jake and reese would be wearing it on their foreheads. damn.

i'm not sure what they are supposed to do, but at least look cute or smug or sexy or interested in each other, or go in a f'n bar or store and ditch the paps if you really don't want to get your picture made. but lord have mercy, that was truly the longest mile, looking at picture after picture of them, her holding her tea, him with the little shopping bag, looking bored and miserable but holding hands like the great lovebirds that they are. and then at the end, they both have teas, so obviously teh pics are out of order, but who cares, they are boring no matter how you organize them. ugh.

nuf said. :(

m said...

I'm late getting here today, too many chores. Saw the new pics. 5 ft apart, not looking at each other as usual. That curled lip Reese has been doing a lot lately. It has to mean something, body language wise. One good pic in the bunch which I guess we will see in some rag. I think this was a test balloon to see if any renewed public interest in them after a deliberate rest period. Guess what. ONTD pic of Reeke generated about about 120 comments, about everything under the sun. New pictures of Alexander Skaarsgard on the other hand, got 1500 comments. Good to know though that Jake and Austin likely got to spend some time together over the week end.

PG, thanks for the new chapters. I printed them out to read later.

Anonymous said...

m... i agree. i noted about one, maybe 2, pics that were mag worthy, but still, they are stale as hell. i wonder if that was a planned pr pic shot or if it was just accidental. it seems like if it was planned, they would've been a little more up for it, and if it was accidental, they would've gone in a store or restaurant till the paps went away. hard to figure.

the only way folks are going to be interested in them ever again is - imho - if they have some major soap-opera drama, and that will almost guarantee they have to break up. i dont' even see her getting pg as interesting at this point. if she catches him with someone or vice versa, or if they have some sort of bad, cop-calling altercation with the paps or wtfe, that might get attn, but i don't think they want that kind.

if they are for real, more power to them - i hope they're really happy in their zzzzz little world. but if they are just staging this for show, please, stop it before we all expire from teh don't cares.

dang, it's hard being a fangurl these days. :(

sienna said...

m... i agree. i noted about one, maybe 2, pics that were mag worthy, but still, they are stale as hell. i wonder if that was a planned pr pic shot or if it was just accidental. it seems like if it was planned, they would've been a little more up for it, and if it was accidental, they would've gone in a store or restaurant till the paps went away. hard to figure.

the only way folks are going to be interested in them ever again is - imho - if they have some major soap-opera drama, and that will almost guarantee they have to break up. i dont' even see her getting pg as interesting at this point. if she catches him with someone or vice versa, or if they have some sort of bad, cop-calling altercation with the paps or wtfe, that might get attn, but i don't think they want that kind.

if they are for real, more power to them - i hope they're really happy in their zzzzz little world. but if they are just staging this for show, please, stop it before we all expire from teh don't cares.

dang, it's hard being a fangurl these days. :(

Kacie said...

I am sorry that I have not posted
for several days. Friday I went with my neighbor to place flowers
on my mothers,fathers and uncles
graves. Plus we spent about 5 hours
eating out and shopping! I bought
2 shirts.
I too get tired the same old
Jake/Reese photos. If they are a couple, they seem boring but maybe
that's just me! It is the same old
thing!
Why don't we have a movie review
of The Informers in a couple of days or weeks after everybody has
a chance to watch it?
It is such a shame about Senator
Kennedy. I think there is just one
sister left in that whole family.
There will never be another like
him!

Kacie said...

I borrowed my neighbor's DVD of
Jarhead. Do you remember Jake saying in the movie that he was not
gay? Do you also rememeber the nude
scene he did in the shower? I just
thought I would remind you of that!
Does Austin smoke? He does in The
Informers! I will catch you all later on!!
Does Ted come back in middle of
September?

Special K said...

Is Paparazzi the Great Karnac?

Remember this tweet?

Jake will b back fr venice next week. Look for him and reese witherspoon on early date nites nxt Mon - Thurs. + possibly Ryan P bck in town

3:22 PM Aug 28th from TwitterBerry


iPhillyChitchat

Now how would a Pap in Philly

1) Know that Jake is in Venice 3 days before you see Jake in Venice, especially since Jake has a home in LA and doesn't need to stay in Venice

2)To look for them early next week (this week) for early date nites

3) And that Ryan P is going to be possibly back in Philly?

Sounds like he got a tip directly from some in Philly - which sounds like Reese's people. The Ryan P thing - not sure who would have tipped him, maybe same people as motivation to pictures?

But why did it actually happen in Venice and not when he came from Venice to Philly?

Sounds like she had to beat him to it and go there.

Maybe he refused to come to Philly. (Austin is in LA, he had meetings, kids, or maybe he just said I not coming to Philly)

Maybe to guarantee get in this week's magazines.

Maybe to salvage the plan that got leaked.

Funny how Jake some great press about Shalom Sesame and the Interview Magazine thing and Reese got nothing last week?

And funnier how Just Jared sat on the Shalom Sesame news until he had pictures of Reeke, while it had been picked up everywhere else and just about Jake when the press release from AP came out?

Too many things to say there was prior planning to them. Too may fingers pointing to Reese.

JMO

gotta go think about a post for today

Special K said...

Kacie - about Austin smoking, I have seen one picture of Austin smoking, I don't know how much he does, but he has.

v said...

Phillychitchat posted in May of this year that Ryan would be in Philly for part of the summer because the kids would be here with Reese because she is filming. How would he know that 2 months in advance unless Ryan's people said something, would make sense since he is from the Philly/Delaware area has a place in Delaware where he, Reese and the kids stayed at when visiting when they were married. Can't think of one reason why her people would tip him off now or back then. He was supposed to have the kids for the summer, but that didn't happen for some reason.

There were several tweets indicating that JAke was in Venice a lot these past few weeks, I think phillychat saw the tweets too.

As to why he thinks Jake is returning this week? Just speculation IMO. Reese was still in Philly as of Saturday according to the tweets and Jake were with the kids on Friday, somethin I would think Phillychat would mention if he knew he didn't so he didn't mention it.

He seems obsessed with getting her/tehir picture so I think he is hoping for date nights.

Speculation is that he sold his home in HH for a smaller cheaper place in Venice.

look again said...

Jake couldn't have been in Philly on Friday, he's been seen around LA all last week.

v said...

I meant that Jake was tweeted in L.A. with the kids on Friday, Reese on Saturday morning. From that he was with the kids and Reese joined them. With school starting probably yhis week I think she wanted to be there for that unless she has to film today.

Jake was tweeted in BH, R.Canyon and several times in Venice.

^^^ said...

With school starting probably this week, Reese brought kids to LA on Saturday.