Cool Yule

Here's a splendid poem for the season, reproduced with kind permission of its author Shona Ashton (11).

You forget the true meaning of Christmas

The birth of Santa Claus

Here he comes now in his manger

Pulled by wild boars.

He had to use his manger

Cos his sleigh failed its MOT

Plus there was no snow this year

And the sleigh's a snow-riding machine.

Rudolph's lightbulb has broken

Either that or the battery's gone

The reindeers won't go anywhere without him

He's their hero, their Number One.

Santa has had enough now

Everything's going wrong

So if you're still waiting for presents

Be prepared to be waiting quite long.

Adrian Mitchell 1932 - 2008

Very sad news that Adrian Mitchell died on 20th December. Dubbed the 'Shadow Poet Laureate' by Red Pepper magazine, he was an inspiring, galvanising performer, a prolific playwright and poet of unsurpassed integrity, honesty and wit. Here's the Guardian obituary and the Bloodaxe page which includes video footage of Adrian reading his poetry.

Poet Laureate X Factor

The debate about Andrew Motion's successor continues. Here's Motion's advice and Mark Lawson's sharp take on it all (with a string of comments and proposals from others).

The DCMS is going to consult the public. Who would you vote for? Pam Ayres? Simon Armitage?