Obviously, They’ve Never Read Some Of My Poems
I bet I could give him a run for his money
Poems by the man ridiculed as “the world’s worst poet” are expected to fetch up to £6,500 at auction.
Thirty-five of William McGonagall’s works – many of them autographed – are going under the hammer on Friday.
The ditties by “The Tayside Tragedian” have been valued in the same league as Harry Potter first editions signed by JK Rowling.
McGonagall, who died in 1902, was often mocked and had food thrown at him during readings in Dundee.
Now here was a real artist, a man who interacted with his adoring public
“He tried to hawk these poems around the streets of places like Dundee and he was notoriously encouraged to give performances just so people could make fun of him.
“Poet-baiting became an ongoing activity, they used to throw vegetables at him and all sorts.”
Poet-baiting.
I love that.
Everyone’s homework assignment for the weekend is to email me some of the worst, most tortured drek they wrote during those teen angst years and I’ll publish it next week. You know you all did it. We’re all friends here. We won’t laugh.
Well, in fact we will, which is the point.
Go hit those crap scrap books!
Fun | Mr. Bingley | 
May 16, 2008 7:16 am
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“Poet-baiting became an ongoing activity, they used to throw vegetables at him and all sorts.”
Eventually he just quit talking, and mime was born.
I was happier than shit as a teenager.
No angst here!
Ohhhh man, I wish I still had my illustrated “save the rainforest” poster from sophomore year science, complete with emo poem about animals “crying.” (Hey, when you’re bad at labs and good in art, you do what you can to save your grade.)