Carol Ann Duffy

I'm absolutely delighted that Carol Ann Duffy has been named as the new Poet Laureate. She is good to read and one of those rare poets who are a pleasure to hear reading their own poetry.

Do go and look at her books for children, as well as of course her adult poetry. She is extremely well served by the illustrator Jane Ray so take a peek at, for instance, "Lost Happy Endings" and "The Stolen Childhood and Other Dark Tales".

She was interviewed by Chris Stephenson for Carousel in 2003 (issue 24) - extract follows:

Her writing for children, poetry in particular, is an integral part of Carol Ann's output. "I don't write down a gear. They come from the same source. Different focus perhaps, and perhaps with more simplicity...As an adult poet, you car a lot of baggage about with you, like an old lobster with bits of worn-out shell hanging from its body. I have to fight more to get that same simplicity".