Punk Poet- John Cooper Clarke

Dr John Cooper Clarke is an English poet who emerged from the punk era as a performance poet, actor writer, renowned as having a sharp wit and a satirical style. He is known as 'The Emperor of Punk Poetry.' John Cooper Clarke remains one of Britain's favourite poets and has been stirring poetic hearts and minds for decades.

Clarke's performances are characterised by quick and lively renditions of his poems, usually performed a cappella. He is often referred to as 'the Bard of Salford,' his home town.

His quirkiness is reflected in his commitment to writing a poem about Elvis Presley every year. I enjoy his word play and use of rhyme. He has numerous books of poetry available.

I am sharing one of his more recent Elvis offerings from the book, 'The Luckiest Guy Alive.'

The Man Who Didn't Love Elvis

A sad sack sitting in a sickly groove
The band kicked- he couldn't move
What was he trying to prove
The man who didn't love Elvis

He didn't seem to have a heart
He was a man apart
I had him pegged right from the start
The man who didn't love Elvis

The man who didn't love Elvis
Is not as other men
Condemned to miss the point
Time and time and time again

From which benighted neighbourhood
Whose garden dream is the colour of mud
And what does he have instead of blood
The man who didn't love Elvis

When all his opinions fade to grey

Six feet under the frozen clay

We will forget what he had to say

The man who didn't love Elvis

John Cooper Clarke.

It is once again Poetry Friday and our host this time is Carol Labuzzetta at The Apples In My Orchard. Carol's post focuses on transitions -seasonal and otherwise.

Poetry Inspired by Images and Objects

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Powerful Poetry, 'Refugees' by Brian Bilston

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