Amie Bailey: Carol-Ann Duffy
Ever since I was little, something has drawn me to poetry. It can be one of the most beautiful forms of art; lyrical, often fantastical and able to paint a thousand pictured with just a few lines. The idea of having to draw your own meaning from another person’s precisely chosen words has always fascinated me, and has led me to be an avid poet myself, and former Poet Laureate Carol-Ann Duffy is one the greatest inspirations in my own writing. She has an uncanny ability to transform familiar situations into melodic, beautiful pieces of art and mould other-worldly stories into seemingly every day tales. Getting the chance to meet and interview her in 2013 was an honour, and it was wonderful to gain her personal insight into her writing process and poetry as a whole. If you’ve never really explored poetry, try starting with Carol Ann’s work – you’re bound to find something that will stay with you for a very long time.