Answering Back by Carol Ann Duffy

Answering Back

Carol Ann Duffy

The subtitle of this anthology is 'Living poets reply to the poetry of the past'. It can be read either for the old favourites chosen by the living poet or for the living poet 'replies'. (I preferred the replies which complemented rather than diminished the ideas of the original.) If you have not read much modern poetry this is a very good place to start.

Extract
As I made my way down Palestine Street
I saw a cruise missile,
a slow and silver caravan
on its slow and silver mile,
and a beggar child turned up his face
and blessed it with a smile.

From: The Yellow Palm by Robert Minhinnick
Reply to: Refugee Blues by WH Auden
Parallels
  • King Driftwood by Robert Minhinnick
  • Rapture by Carol Ann Duffy