Happy National Poetry Day, everybody!

Today is National Poetry Day, and the theme chosen to celebrate this year's fixture is Heroes & Heroines. To honour this subject, recently appointed Poet Laureate (and fellow Manchester dweller) Carol Ann Duffy has created a new work called Atlas, which can be seen here.

(Photo: Walker Art Gallery)

Here's my own take on the topic...

YOUR WORSHIP
by Clare Conlon

You can keep your sporting legends,
Screw your rock gods and pop idols,
Stick your celebrities where the sun don't shine.

Stuff the literary greats,
Shove the art heavyweights,
Sod the fashionista's hot dates.

The masters, the mistresses -
Confine them to history's
long-forgotten library.

Cast asunder the kings, aye, and the queens.
Their place is in dusty books
or curling, mildewed magazines.

Silver screen, small screen;
A good face for radio,
Voice contorted by the pips.

Superstar, reality star,
Famous for five minutes,
Tomorrow wrapping chips.

Forget the big heads, the talking heads,
The heads of state, and more.
The proper heroes and heroines
live quietly next door.

(Copyright Clare Conlon 2009. All rights reserved)