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        Pete Atkin >> Words >> Johann Hari and Clive James
        
(Message started by: Mike Walters on Today at 15:26)

Title: Johann Hari and Clive James
Post by Mike Walters on Today at 15:26

Interesting piece by Johann Hari in today's Independent in which he nominates Clive James as the first poet laureate of a supposed new age of poetic accessibility.

www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-as-life-flies-on-dont-let-poetry-pass-you-by-838214.html

Title: Re: Johann Hari and Clive James
Post by Jan on 05.06.08 at 18:02

That's a very felicitous quotation at the end! I don't remember anyone on MV accrediting it to Emerson. (I think T.S. Eliot was mentioned)

And its a great idea to have Clive James as Poet Laureate!
Jan

Title: Re: Johann Hari and Clive James
Post by Kevin Cryan on 05.06.08 at 21:05

You are quite right, Jan. in thinking that Hari has misattributed the quotation. It actually comes from section 5 of The Dry Salvages, which is No 3 (http://www.tristan.icom43.net/quartets/salvages.html) of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets .

Kevin Cryan.

Title: Re: Johann Hari and Clive James
Post by Jan on 05.06.08 at 22:19

Thanks Kevin! I didn't think we would have missed that one.
Jan

Title: Re: Johann Hari and Clive James
Post by Murray McGlew on 11.06.08 at 10:17

I believe Clive doesn't drink much these days; can I have the sherry?

Seriously, it's a great idea. As Johann Hari points out, it's Clive's enthusiasm that gets us in. Any article of his praising a poet makes me want to track down some of the poet's output and read it. I like Clive's poems too mind you.