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Woodstock Names Poet Laureate

Friday, 22 June 2018 15:30

The late Barry Butson's poetry will be read at future events as the Poet Laureate.

WOODSTOCK - A Poet Laureate has been named for Woodstock.

The late Barry Butson has been published multiple times in his poetic career.

He also took home the Milton Acorn People's Poetry Award.

Barry's daughter, Katherine Butson says this means a lot for poets.

"The way I've best described it to people is; it's the equivalent of winning an Oscar if you are a poet or a writer. So it's a huge honour."

As a poet laureate, his poems will be read at events by members of his family.

Katherine says this will be emotional for the family.

"He told me during chemotherapy that writing was actually his fourth profession. To be able to stand and read what he wrote and feel the emotion behind what he wrote is going to be very impactful to us and hopefully the society as well."

She shared one of the highlights of his career from her point of view.

"He didn't share critics or pleasant comments about his work, but in his dying days he sent me an email that came from a Welsh poet and he compared him to Wordsworth and I think that's a pretty astounding compliment."

Butson passed away in January at the age of 77.

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