The Worst Poet in History
Added 2024-04-08 10:15:01 +0000 UTCHere's another of my "Fascinating Failures" - although this time it's a little different, as it's a creative failure rather than a business one. William McGonagall of Dundee was, and is, known for being quite possibly the worst poet ever to put pen to paper.
There are a good few examples of his poetry in the video, but if you want some more I'd recommend this website, where you can read almost his entire repertoire.
It also includes some extracts from newspapers of the time, who were often pretty sarcastic when writing about McGonagall's abilities. Perhaps the most deft slight in this article is putting the word poet in quotation marks. Ouch!
Comments
It was something that was published in newspapers around the time... so I think he was doing his best to make it a tribute. Not a very fitting one, perhaps...
Fascinating Horror
2024-04-10 11:51:01 +0000 UTCOh my goodness, he was an outsider artist! What a treat. Charming and dedicated. Lovely story!
Amy Frushour Kelly
2024-04-09 12:33:02 +0000 UTCOh good lord I hope the bereaved families of the Tay Bridge victims had a good laugh over McGonigall’s little memorial.
Elizabeth Finkler Hanasaki
2024-04-08 23:28:40 +0000 UTC
