Worcester’s Poet Laureate returns to RGS
This week, The RGS Literary Society welcomed Worcester’s Poet Laureate Adrian Couper. Ade came to speak to the pupils about the importance of the spoken word and how this particular form of poetry can reach the wider community. With pupils from RGS Dodderhill also in attendance, the session began with some anecdotes of Ade’s own time at RGS as a pupil, though he recalls it being very different! We then learnt about the Poet Laureate process and what his job entails. Having had to interview for this role over Zoom, Ade remembers it being a very surreal process but the job is one which he is thoroughly enjoying. Sharing his experiences as a community mental health worker, it’s clear that his poems draw on the very personal, real experiences of the different relationships he makes.
We were fortunate to be able to see and hear Ade perform five of his poems, ranging from his first poem ever to be published, to more recent poems touching on The Black Lives Matter Movement and dementia.
The interactive session saw pupils answer questions as well as ask their own. Several stayed behind to talk to Ade and an interesting discussion arose as to the reception of poetry. Ade is a firm believer in readers (or listeners) taking what they want from a poem and that once it has been performed it lies in the hands of the audience.
Thank you to Ade for supporting LitSoc and we hope he enjoyed his return to his school. We look forward to working with Ade in the future and have an exciting ‘Open Mic’ poetry night to plan!
Mrs Laura Bond
Teacher of English, Second in Department