Poet

British Library apologises to Ted Hughes’ widow for naming the late poet in a dossier on slavery

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The British Library has apologised to Ted Hughes’s widow and family for naming him in a dossier on slavery and colonial links.   The former Poet Laureate, who came from humble origins in Yorkshire, was found to be a descendant of Nicholas Ferrar who was involved in the slave trade some 300 years before Hughes was … Read more

British Library adds Poet Laureate Ted Hughes to a dossier linking him to slavery and colonialism 

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The celebrated poet Ted Hughes has been added to a dossier linking him to slavery and colonialism by the British Library. The former Poet Laureate, who came from humble origins in Yorkshire, was found to be a descendant of Nicholas Ferrar who was involved in the slave trade some 300 years before Hughes was born. … Read more

Country music star Lindsay Ell confirms she’s dating artist and poet Adam Roa

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It appears Lindsay Ell may have found love again. The country music star confirmed she’s in a romantic relationship with artist and poet Adam Roa by posting a heartwarming photo on Instagram of the couple snuggling up with each other.  ‘Every moment spent with you makes me smile,’ she gushed in the caption along with … Read more

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage’s new work about coronavirus is released to mark National Poetry Day

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It could be verse! Poet Laureate Simon Armitage’s uplifting new work about how coronavirus pandemic has changed lives is released to mark National Poetry Day today Poet Laureate Simon Armitage said lockdown sometimes left him lost for words His new work is about how pandemic changed lives and is released today It’s a commission for … Read more

Poet discovers he is the descendant of both slaves AND slave traders

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A black poet was shocked to learn that he is the descendant of slaves, slave traders, a prime minister and the first black international footballer. Malik Al Nasir, born in 1966 in Toxteth, Liverpool, noticed he looked similar to a black Victorian footballer and went on a 15 year journey into his family history, uncovering … Read more

SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: War hero poet who was the real Captain Corelli dies at 96 

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He says he felt ‘doomed to perpetual failure’ in his youth, before achieving fame with his best-selling novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.  Now Louis de Bernieres has paid a final, heartfelt tribute to the man who made it possible — his father, Piers de Berniere-Smart, who has died peacefully aged 96. ‘I wouldn’t be a writer … Read more

From The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed to Lockdown Parenting Hell: This week’s top podcasts

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From Simon Armitage’s The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed to Lockdown Parenting Hell and Miriam And Youssef, this week’s top podcasts By Leaf Arbuthnot Published: 22:01 BST, 23 May 2020 | Updated: 22:01 BST, 23 May 2020 The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed  Simon Armitage, the nation’s bard, is spending lockdown … Read more