Poem dedicated to Andrew Motion

This poem was written ages ago, 9/6/99 in fact. I was listening to Andrew Motion being interviewed (on BBC4 Today programme if my memory serves me well) just after he had become the then new Poet Laureate, wherein he bemoaned the lack of time.

I heard him read a couple of years ago, and am particularly fond of his collection, ‘Public Property’ .

Poet in motion.

 

Such a commotion,

the very notion,

“no time to smell the roses”

says Mr Motion…….

We are most fraught,

at the very thought ;

what?!

 “no time to stop and stare”,

it’s enough to make any literary critic

lose their equilibrium,

if not their hair.

We need our Laureate

to contemplate

and ruminate,

to lyricise,

to amble

to dawdle,

and to gently criticise.

To set the world to verse,

with time allowed for reflection,

for meditation upon our mutual direction……

So please Mr Poet Laureate,

no rush,

but lots of shush,

indeed, more hush,

for, as one supposes,

the job of poet

can only be,

to take time to smell the roses.

 

 

 

 

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