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A geographer as Poet Laureate

Simon Armitage was announced today as the new Poet Laureate, replacing Carol Ann Duffy.

I've been aware of Simon Armitage and his work for many years, going back to when I was doing my degree in Huddersfield, and he was living nearby in Marsden.
He is the same age as me, the same age as Surtsey, about which he made an excellent radio programme - currently unavailable to listen to.
He studied Geography at Portsmouth University, which makes him a geographer too, of course.

all-points-north
Check out his poem Last Snowman, about Climate Change.

I've read much of his poetry, and all of his non-fiction work. An early favourite (from 1999) was 'All Points North': a meditation on what it means to be from the North, and about the North... Also check out the recent books where he follows long distance footpaths, including the Pennine Way.

Also check out his poem 'Poundland' from a recent collection.

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