Poetry corner

As a brief respite from my usual spleen, have some of my favourite poems. 

Some Ginsberg:



Burton reading RS Thomas:



Some Edna St. Vincent Millay



Copland's setting of 12 Emily Dickinson poems:



Got to have some John Cooper Clarke:



and of course Pam Ayres even though she has taken the advertising dollar: I fear this poem presages my future.



And in another mood entirely, here's Simon Armitage's 'Poem'. I can't find a reading of it, which is a shame, but here's the whole bittersweet text:

Frank O’Hara was open on the desk

but I went straight for the directory.

Nick was out, Joey was engaged, Jim was

just making coffee and why didn’t I

come over. I had Astrud Gilberto

singing “Bim Bom” on my Sony Walkman

and the sun was drying the damp slates on

the rooftops. I walked in without ringing

and he still wasn’t dressed or shaved when we

topped up the coffee with his old man’s Scotch

(it was only half ten but what the hell)

and took the newspapers to the porch.

Talking Heads were on the radio. I

was just about to mention the football

when he said, “Look, will you help me clear her

wardrobe out?” I said “Sure Jim, anything.”