Adrian Mitchell (1932-2008)

Adrian's death has come as a shocking blow to all his family, friends, fellow poets and readers. He had been suffering from pneumonia for two months, but nobody expected that he'd be taken from us. In January 2008 Pamela and I filmed him reading several poems for our DVD-anthology IN PERSON, which came out from Bloodaxe this year. Do seek that out if you want to see and hear more of Adrian. Here we offer a film sequence with him reading three poems from that set: first 'Telephone', a short poem written on hearing of the death of his and Celia's beloved adopted goddaughter, Boty Goodwin. Then 'Especially When It Snows', his elegy for Boty, which always makes me cry and certainly made me tearful when compiling this tribute video. And finally 'Death Is Smaller Than I Thought', a poem on the deaths of his mother and father, which is a new poem from what will now sadly be his final book, TELL ME LIES, to be published by Bloodaxe in 2009. I will post a second video of him reading the title-poem of the new book:
http://www.bloodaxebooks.com/titlepage.asp?isbn=1852248432
If you want to see his film in High Definition, go to the Bloodaxe Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloodaxe-Books/17150289985
These readings may leave you in tears but I hope they also make you think about and remember Adrian and what he stood for, and which he certainly encapsulates in these poems and his reading of them. Peace and Love. So rest in peace now Adrian. We love you very much.
Love from Neil & Pamela xxx

PS: The picture at the start of the film is Ralph Steadman's glorious portrait of Adrian which hangs in his hall.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Adrian Mitchell
• poetry
• In Person
• Bloodaxe Books

[WizardBogle01]

Beyond beautifal

[Xivert]

Thanks for posting this video. Really sadly, but brilliantin the same time. It has been really a shocking blow his death for all the worldwide readers.