Carol Ann Duffy

I've been remiss in not talking about the awesomeness that is Britain's new poet Laureate crashing her way into the very old boys' club. It is truly awesome. Anyway, here is a roundup of posts and excerpts from my google reader feeds (note, all of the snippets are from the sites, not me):

Carol Ann Duffy, first female and openly gay poet laureate of Britain

...Carol Ann Duffy, 53, has been appointed poet laureate of Britain, a prestigious 341-year-old position previously held by men like John Dryden, Alfred Tennyson, William Wordsworth, Cecil Day-Lewis and Ted Hughes. Not only is Duffy the first woman to hold the position, she is the first Scot, the first mother, and the first lesbian.

from Feministing -

'I still haven't written the best I can'

...Carol Ann Duffy is that rare thing - a poet whose work is loved by children and adults alike, critics as much as the public. Now, a decade after she was passed over for the job, she is to become the first woman poet laureate. Here, in an exclusive interview, she talks about Queen, country - and the free sherry

from guardian.co.uk home | guardian.co.uk - May 3, 2009

Duffy Confirmed as First Female British Poet Laureate in 341 Years

...laureate is Carol Ann Duffy, nearly three-and-a-half centuries after John Dryden was anointed by King Charles II to the nation's foremost literary position. Duffy, 53, is also the first Scot and the first openly gay writer to be poet laureate. (Dryden, incidentally, holds the dubious distinction of being the only poet laureate to be sacked, ...)

from Isak - May 3, 2009

Britain's first female poet laureate

...Carol Ann Duffy has been appointed Britain's first female poet laureate after a 341-year run of men. That's an awful long monopoly, but England, not to mention poetry, has rarely been accused of being quick to change. (Elizabeth Barrett Browning was considered for the post in 1850, but she lost out to Alfred Tennyson.) Duffy first got attention ...

from Salon: Broadsheet - 3:06 PM (15 minutes ago)

Poetry In Motion [Caroling]

...Carol Ann Duffy has been named Britain's poet laureate. Duffy, the first woman to hold the post in its 341-year history, is known for a wide and varied body of modern poetry. [NYT]

from Jezebel - May 1, 2009 (5 days ago)

England's First Female Poet Laureate Named

...The poet Carol Ann Duffy was chosen as poet laureate of England today, the first female poet named laureate since the post was first created over 340 years ago. Duffy follows former laureate Andrew Motion, and according to the NY Times, she will serve in the post for 10 years. The first honoree was Edmund Spenser...

from mediabistro.com: GalleyCat - May 1, 2009 (5 days ago)