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City gets a poet laureate

8:29am Saturday 1st March 2008

comment Comments (76)   Have your say »

By Jo Winrow »

Bradford is to get its first Poet Laureate, as Gerard Benson is to be unveiled at the first holder of the civic post on Monday.

Mr Benson, below, who lives in Bradford, is best known for his children's work including the book To Catch an Elephant.

On Monday he will be the guest of honour at a civic lunch in City Hall, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Robin Owens.

Mr Benson has worked in many of the district's schools, given a series of readings and workshops at libraries, and performed at the Alhambra Studio and as well as a number of other Bradford venues.

He is also known for his adult work, and as well as a number of published books of his own, he has poems in well over a hundred anthologies.

Bradford's Poet Laureate post is an honorary position and Mr Benson will appear at civic and Council events with specially written poems to perform at these occasions such as the installation of the Lord Mayor. He already has a poem ready for the civic lunch on Monday.

The Lord Mayor said: "Bradford as a city and a district is full of culture and it seems only right that we should have our own Poet Laureate to create poems for us all to enjoy."

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Your Say YourBradford

albion, west riding says...
9:29am Sat 1 Mar 08

That council bunch,
It is my hunch,
Will give him a lunch,
With good things to munch,
And maybe rum punch,
But its only a hunch.

albion, west riding says...
9:29am Sat 1 Mar 08

That council bunch,
It is my hunch,
Will give him a lunch,
With good things to munch,
And maybe rum punch,
But its only a hunch.

albion, west riding says...
9:29am Sat 1 Mar 08

That council bunch,
It is my hunch,
Will give him a lunch,
With good things to munch,
And maybe rum punch,
But its only a hunch.

albion, west riding says...
9:29am Sat 1 Mar 08

That council bunch,
It is my hunch,
Will give him a lunch,
With good things to munch,
And maybe rum punch,
But its only a hunch.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:21pm Sat 1 Mar 08

So, they've appointed someone to entertain them "at civic and Council events with specially written poems to perform at these occasions such as the installation of the Lord Mayor".

How does this benefit the rest of us? This guy is already performing at various venues all over Bradford, and presumably Joe Public has to pay to see him.

This appointment is purely to gratify these idioticly arrogant councillors who increasingly see themselves as some kind of uber-elite.

Isn't it time that a protest march on City Hall was organised to remind them who's in charge?

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:21pm Sat 1 Mar 08

So, they've appointed someone to entertain them "at civic and Council events with specially written poems to perform at these occasions such as the installation of the Lord Mayor".

How does this benefit the rest of us? This guy is already performing at various venues all over Bradford, and presumably Joe Public has to pay to see him.

This appointment is purely to gratify these idioticly arrogant councillors who increasingly see themselves as some kind of uber-elite.

Isn't it time that a protest march on City Hall was organised to remind them who's in charge?

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:21pm Sat 1 Mar 08

So, they've appointed someone to entertain them "at civic and Council events with specially written poems to perform at these occasions such as the installation of the Lord Mayor".

How does this benefit the rest of us? This guy is already performing at various venues all over Bradford, and presumably Joe Public has to pay to see him.

This appointment is purely to gratify these idioticly arrogant councillors who increasingly see themselves as some kind of uber-elite.

Isn't it time that a protest march on City Hall was organised to remind them who's in charge?

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:21pm Sat 1 Mar 08

So, they've appointed someone to entertain them "at civic and Council events with specially written poems to perform at these occasions such as the installation of the Lord Mayor".

How does this benefit the rest of us? This guy is already performing at various venues all over Bradford, and presumably Joe Public has to pay to see him.

This appointment is purely to gratify these idioticly arrogant councillors who increasingly see themselves as some kind of uber-elite.

Isn't it time that a protest march on City Hall was organised to remind them who's in charge?

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

'idiotically', even.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

'idiotically', even.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

'idiotically', even.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
12:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

'idiotically', even.

Woody, Manningham says...
12:48pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"The Lord Mayor said: "Bradford as a city and a district is full of culture"

Where? Does he mean "culture" as in bacteria? Bradford Community Arts had to shut down after having it's funding cut by the Council. The Priestley Centre is under continuous threat of closure, run on a shoe-string by volunteers. Central Library is a shambles, often books I've reserved, that are listed as in stock, are "missing" presumed stolen. The Yorkshire dialect, part of our cultural heritage, is dying out. Why not have a dialect poet?

Woody, Manningham says...
12:48pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"The Lord Mayor said: "Bradford as a city and a district is full of culture"

Where? Does he mean "culture" as in bacteria? Bradford Community Arts had to shut down after having it's funding cut by the Council. The Priestley Centre is under continuous threat of closure, run on a shoe-string by volunteers. Central Library is a shambles, often books I've reserved, that are listed as in stock, are "missing" presumed stolen. The Yorkshire dialect, part of our cultural heritage, is dying out. Why not have a dialect poet?

Woody, Manningham says...
12:48pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"The Lord Mayor said: "Bradford as a city and a district is full of culture"

Where? Does he mean "culture" as in bacteria? Bradford Community Arts had to shut down after having it's funding cut by the Council. The Priestley Centre is under continuous threat of closure, run on a shoe-string by volunteers. Central Library is a shambles, often books I've reserved, that are listed as in stock, are "missing" presumed stolen. The Yorkshire dialect, part of our cultural heritage, is dying out. Why not have a dialect poet?

Woody, Manningham says...
12:48pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"The Lord Mayor said: "Bradford as a city and a district is full of culture"

Where? Does he mean "culture" as in bacteria? Bradford Community Arts had to shut down after having it's funding cut by the Council. The Priestley Centre is under continuous threat of closure, run on a shoe-string by volunteers. Central Library is a shambles, often books I've reserved, that are listed as in stock, are "missing" presumed stolen. The Yorkshire dialect, part of our cultural heritage, is dying out. Why not have a dialect poet?

goalkeeper, bradford says...
3:58pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better

goalkeeper, bradford says...
3:58pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better

goalkeeper, bradford says...
3:58pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better

goalkeeper, bradford says...
3:58pm Sat 1 Mar 08

"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better

Woody, Manningham says...
5:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.

Woody, Manningham says...
5:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.

Woody, Manningham says...
5:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.

Woody, Manningham says...
5:33pm Sat 1 Mar 08

goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
6:17pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
6:17pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
6:17pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
6:17pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.

albion, west riding says...
6:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Jack Kerouac,
You Dharma Bum, get out On The Road.

albion, west riding says...
6:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Jack Kerouac,
You Dharma Bum, get out On The Road.

albion, west riding says...
6:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Jack Kerouac,
You Dharma Bum, get out On The Road.

albion, west riding says...
6:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Jack Kerouac,
You Dharma Bum, get out On The Road.

sigil, terminus says...
10:19pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Woody wrote:
goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.
And the verse you posted isnt quite Ginsberg.

sigil, terminus says...
10:19pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Woody wrote:
goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.
And the verse you posted isnt quite Ginsberg.

sigil, terminus says...
10:19pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Woody wrote:
goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.
And the verse you posted isnt quite Ginsberg.

sigil, terminus says...
10:19pm Sat 1 Mar 08

Woody wrote:
goalkeeper wrote:
"Central Library is a shambles..." What twaddle, I use both Bradford & Leeds library - Bradford is miles better
Twaddle is it? On more than one occasion I have reserved books that subsequently have never been found. My friend has also had this experience more than once. On the last time, the librarian hadn't even heard of the author or the book - Crash, by J.G. Ballard, which could not be found, and was also "missing" from Keighley library too. Another book I was attempting to obtain was supposed to be in stock both as a lending item and a reference book - about an historical Bradfordian, and should also have been stocked at Baildon, according to the records, but none could be located. On another occasion, I found that a large amount of perfectly good books had been thrown in a skip around the back of the Central Library, including many recent bestsellers and some classics, 'On The Road', Kerouac, for example.
And the verse you posted isnt quite Ginsberg.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:24pm Sat 1 Mar 08

...more like Abe Ginsberg (he was Les Kellett's nemesis in the goog old days of 'proper' telly wrestling!)

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:24pm Sat 1 Mar 08

...more like Abe Ginsberg (he was Les Kellett's nemesis in the goog old days of 'proper' telly wrestling!)

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:24pm Sat 1 Mar 08

...more like Abe Ginsberg (he was Les Kellett's nemesis in the goog old days of 'proper' telly wrestling!)

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:24pm Sat 1 Mar 08

...more like Abe Ginsberg (he was Les Kellett's nemesis in the goog old days of 'proper' telly wrestling!)

mrs walker, round here says...
11:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

I saw the best minds of my generation posting comments on the T&A site
Dragging themselves through the Westfield rubble, looking for a hint of startdate...




mrs walker, round here says...
11:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

I saw the best minds of my generation posting comments on the T&A site
Dragging themselves through the Westfield rubble, looking for a hint of startdate...




mrs walker, round here says...
11:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

I saw the best minds of my generation posting comments on the T&A site
Dragging themselves through the Westfield rubble, looking for a hint of startdate...




mrs walker, round here says...
11:31pm Sat 1 Mar 08

I saw the best minds of my generation posting comments on the T&A site
Dragging themselves through the Westfield rubble, looking for a hint of startdate...




mrs walker, round here says...
11:32pm Sat 1 Mar 08

That any better, Sigil?

mrs walker, round here says...
11:32pm Sat 1 Mar 08

That any better, Sigil?

mrs walker, round here says...
11:32pm Sat 1 Mar 08

That any better, Sigil?

mrs walker, round here says...
11:32pm Sat 1 Mar 08

That any better, Sigil?

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:36pm Sat 1 Mar 08

The Exodus stretched to the horizon,
and as my city was finally closed down,
I wept.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:36pm Sat 1 Mar 08

The Exodus stretched to the horizon,
and as my city was finally closed down,
I wept.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:36pm Sat 1 Mar 08

The Exodus stretched to the horizon,
and as my city was finally closed down,
I wept.

Pantoman!, Behind you! says...
11:36pm Sat 1 Mar 08

The Exodus stretched to the horizon,
and as my city was finally closed down,
I wept.

albion, west riding says...
10:07am Sun 2 Mar 08

Well it makes a change from the usual Lear-like nonsense.

albion, west riding says...
10:07am Sun 2 Mar 08

Well it makes a change from the usual Lear-like nonsense.

albion, west riding says...
10:07am Sun 2 Mar 08

Well it makes a change from the usual Lear-like nonsense.

albion, west riding says...
10:07am Sun 2 Mar 08

Well it makes a change from the usual Lear-like nonsense.

sigil, terminus says...
10:14am Sun 2 Mar 08

mrs walker wrote:
That any better, Sigil?
You are truly a desolation angel.

sigil, terminus says...
10:14am Sun 2 Mar 08

mrs walker wrote:
That any better, Sigil?
You are truly a desolation angel.

sigil, terminus says...
10:14am Sun 2 Mar 08

mrs walker wrote:
That any better, Sigil?
You are truly a desolation angel.

sigil, terminus says...
10:14am Sun 2 Mar 08

mrs walker wrote:
That any better, Sigil?
You are truly a desolation angel.

albion, west riding says...
12:06pm Mon 3 Mar 08

They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).

albion, west riding says...
12:06pm Mon 3 Mar 08

They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).

albion, west riding says...
12:06pm Mon 3 Mar 08

They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).

albion, west riding says...
12:06pm Mon 3 Mar 08

They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).

Woody, Manningham says...
6:04pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Philistines.

Woody, Manningham says...
6:04pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Philistines.

Woody, Manningham says...
6:04pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Philistines.

Woody, Manningham says...
6:04pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Philistines.

Woody, Manningham says...
6:05pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Pantoman! wrote:
Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.
what?

Woody, Manningham says...
6:05pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Pantoman! wrote:
Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.
what?

Woody, Manningham says...
6:05pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Pantoman! wrote:
Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.
what?

Woody, Manningham says...
6:05pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Pantoman! wrote:
Get a job and you'll find you have less time to waste.
what?

mrs walker, round here says...
10:53pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Good job I didn't parody any more of Ginsberg's seminal masterwork. They'd have shut the whole server down...


mrs walker, round here says...
10:53pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Good job I didn't parody any more of Ginsberg's seminal masterwork. They'd have shut the whole server down...


mrs walker, round here says...
10:53pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Good job I didn't parody any more of Ginsberg's seminal masterwork. They'd have shut the whole server down...


mrs walker, round here says...
10:53pm Mon 3 Mar 08

albion wrote:
They have removed Woodys poem (perhaps he didnt have copyright).
Good job I didn't parody any more of Ginsberg's seminal masterwork. They'd have shut the whole server down...


Your sayYourBradford

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