sheenaghpugh | RIP Adrian Mitchell

Even those who hardly read poetry may have heard of Adrian Mitchell, who has died suddenly. He was famous in the 60s but active in many more decades than that. As an old and unrepentant leftie, I would like him, but his sense of humour was a definite plus you don't always find in the politically engaged (or indeed in poets generally; they can be awfully self-important and pompous). Asked to write a poem about the Prince of Wales, he came up with "Royalty is a neurosis./ Get well soon."

A story that particularly resonates with me atm: "He was in the habit of writing in the prologue of his collections of poems: "None of the work in this book is to be used in connection with any examination whatsoever". Once, a poem was used in a GCSE exam anyway. He agreed to 'let it go', provided that he be allowed to sit the exam anonymously (he failed)".