I didn't graduate from university, let alone collect the piece of bumf that identifies you officially as a graduate, so I couldn't vote as a nominee in the deadly race for the Oxford Chair of Poetry. However one of the candidates, who was at the same college as me and treated me kindly while I was there, is someone I have known ever since and like a lot.
He isn't the university's 'official candidate', supported by a long list of college principals, presidents, professors and so on. But his far more deserving list of nominees looks like the guest list for a thousand old parties, and includes at least two dear intimates of mine among a host of friends and acquaintances. It is also longer than any list of nominees except Geoffrey Hill's, so he is in with some sort of chance. Yesterday's Terrorflag gave him a plug with photo, and last night's Evening Standard gave him a double-page spread with veiled but strong recommendations from both writers.
So, let's hear a blast of vuvuzelas for Horrors. He doesn't really like being called that but he must be used to it by now. Michael Horovitz, surrealist, hipster, musician and most of all working poet, for Professor!
He will make a very good one. I can vouch for that personally.
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Another sporting contest new