Gillian Clarke

Series examining laureateship around the world.

Gillian Clarke discusses becoming the first poet writing in English to hold the post of laureate of Wales. She describes how she feels the ghosts of Welsh poets behind her and how in Wales she can describe her profession as 'poet' without embarrassment. As Gillian puts it, 'Cardiff taxi-drivers with bardic ancestors are surprisingly common'. Her commissions have included a poem for a bottled water label which had to praise the Brecon Beacons and include the words 'still' and 'sparkling'.