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These masters-of-language have lovingly supplied me with everything to suit my pretentious literary needs, or so it seemed upon first contemplation. My mind and this surprisingly coherent pub discussion then took a surprising turn: I eventually concluded that my favourite poet was indeed, the very accessible Carol Ann Duffy.
My friend scoffed a little as I explained that her poetry was open for everyone to enjoy. It is funny, witty and articulate with just enough intellectualism to keep the literature-lovies interested and the non-lit students intrigued. When asked if this accessibility was intentional by The Yorker’s Anna Goldbeck-Wood, Duffy claimed:
‘I like to take complicated ideas and make them accessible and simple’.
She is certainly very successful in achieving her aim. This is the very reason why this wonderful author, playwright, poet and ultimately master-of-wit, is still on GCSE syllabuses across the land.
With an introduction by Matthew Bevis from the university's Department of English, Carol Ann Duffy strolls toward her microphone to audience applause. The atmosphere in the room is one of sincere appreciation and it is apparent as she talks that not only is Duffy very funny but she is notably endearing. Her dry sense of humour and clear talent for entertaining warm the audience’s response as her little dramatic interjections – a turn of the head here and there for key poetic moments – prompt rapturous laughter.
Working her way through poems either school themed or related to aspects of literature, Duffy clearly knows her audience. This down-to-earth woman bases her talk around ‘The Laughter of Stafford Girls’ High’, intersected by pieces with allusions to Greek mythology (Tiresias) and German legend (Faust); each with their own contemporary and somewhat amusing twist. Her delivery is monotonous with plenty of sarcastic tone to keep the enraptured audience hooked on her every word.
When asked by The Yorker where she took her inspiration from, Duffy replied:
‘My poems are very personal... inspiration comes from my own life – people, voices, stories.’
This level of personal involvement and refrain from an overly complicated syntax and style allows Duffy to reach a far wider audience than a lot of other contemporary poets. Keeping it simple and touching subjects that everybody can relate to; this is what keeps her one of the nation’s favourite, and seemingly most studied, poets.
For more information on Carol Ann Duffy, click away on this website.
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