What exactly is the point of a Poet Laureate?

[Asterix]

I can't see one myself
No point at all
Is there a need
To answer the call

I thought it old
And rather stuffy
But not, apparently
For Carol Ann Duffy

She's taken the vow
But it won't help her purse
To become the guardian
Of our country's verse

[TheEnd]

The royal family has a tradition,
It's a rhyming mission,
if there was a better answer i'd oblige,

...


.. st..

[Jasandjules]

There is no point.

Next.

[Deerfoot]

Jasandjules said:

There is no point.

Next.

+1.

[Eric Mc]

Does everything have to be practical?

[mr_spock]

If the public purse (i.e. us lot) is paying for it and there's a major recession on, yes. Just as in our personal lives we cut non-essential expenditure when the money runs low, the Government should do the same.

[Mexico.]

Asterix said:

I can't see one myself
No point at all
Is there a need
To answer the call

I thought it old
And rather stuffy
But not, apparently
For Carol Ann Duffy

She's taken the vow
But it won't help her purse
To become the guardian
Of our country's verse

If John Skelton was alive he would kick you in the shins

[Poledriver]

Can't see rhyme nor reason in it myself!

[Asterix]

Mexico. said:

Asterix said:

I can't see one myself
No point at all
Is there a need
To answer the call

I thought it old
And rather stuffy
But not, apparently
For Carol Ann Duffy

She's taken the vow
But it won't help her purse
To become the guardian
Of our country's verse

If John Skelton was alive he would kick you in the shins

Tbh - that's the first and last poem I'll ever write - for good reason!

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

No. But Motion worked for 10 years @ £5k a year and produced 8 poems....

[ewenm]

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

No. But Motion worked for 10 years @ £5k a year and produced 8 poems....

Is that good value or not or is the question meaningless?

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

ewenm said:

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

No. But Motion worked for 10 years @ £5k a year and produced 8 poems....

Is that good value or not or is the question meaningless?

I'm sure some people will think it is. I'd be with the majority however.

[ewenm]

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

ewenm said:

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

No. But Motion worked for 10 years @ £5k a year and produced 8 poems....

Is that good value or not or is the question meaningless?

I'm sure some people will think it is. I'd be with the majority however.

But that goes back to the OP - what is the point of a Poet Laureate? Is it to produce poems? Or is it to promote poetry? Or some other purpose? To decide (as you have) that it is the poems/year/£ figure that is the point of a Poet Laureate includes assumptions that may need some justification.

[Eric Mc]

ewenm said:

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

ewenm said:

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

No. But Motion worked for 10 years @ £5k a year and produced 8 poems....

Is that good value or not or is the question meaningless?

I'm sure some people will think it is. I'd be with the majority however.

But that goes back to the OP - what is the point of a Poet Laureate? Is it to produce poems? Or is it to promote poetry? Or some other purpose? To decide (as you have) that it is the poems/year/£ figure that is the point of a Poet Laureate includes assumptions that may need some justification.

In the bigger scheme of things, I would prefer to fund a Poet Laureate than the Home Secretary's Sky subscription.

[tubbystu]

Don't they get paid a case of vintage port a year or somesuch ............or is that some other royal appointment ?

Personally I don't mind if it costs a sensible sum. Occasionally at times of national grief or joy an official type poem statement can fit the bill - assuming that is really what the appointment is for.

It probably gets paid out direct by HM Q of the royal household budget so isn't really our money anyway.

[The Moose]

mr_spock said:

If the public purse (i.e. us lot) is paying for it and there's a major recession on, yes. Just as in our personal lives we cut non-essential expenditure when the money runs low, the Government should do the same.

Talk about openning a can of worms...!!!

Don't go there unless you can close it again!

[Simpo Two]

tubbystu said:

Don't they get paid a case of vintage port a year or somesuch ............or is that some other royal appointment ?

I'll do it for a case of port.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
This line doesn't rhyme
And neither does this one.


(I am to poetry what Damien Hurst is to art)

[fluffnik]

Eric Mc said:

Does everything have to be practical?

I do hope not!

[SkinnyBoy]

I remember Luton
as I eat a crouton.