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Poetic Gems (Duckbacks)
 
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Poetic Gems (Duckbacks) (Paperback)
by William McGonagall (Author), Billy Connelly (Introduction)
4.5 out of 5 stars  (2 customer reviews)

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Product details
  • Paperback: 176 pages
  • Publisher: Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd; New Ed edition (25 Jan 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0715631519
  • ISBN-13: 978-0715631515
  • Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.9 x 1.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 424,277 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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  • Other Editions: Hardcover (New Ed) |  Paperback (New Ed) |  All Editions

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Product Description
Synopsis
William McGonagall was known as the Greatest Bad Verse Writer of his age, but was sustained throughout his career as by an invincible belief in his own genius. 'The Tay Bridge Disaster', 'Death of Lord and Lady Dalhousie', and 'Attempted Assassination of the Queen' all passed into recorded Victorian literature and are reproduced in this collection. McGonagall was unrecognised in his own lifetime, but how has many thousands of admirers around the world - including Billy Connelly, who has written an affectionate introduction to the anthology.

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brings a smile if nothing else., 6 Jul 2004
By A Customer
It's not Burns. But then, it never once claims to be.

This collection of poetry by William McGonagal is as far opposite Burns on the poetry scale as anyone could imagine. The thing is, McGonagal actually believed he was talented...or did he? Arguements exist as to whether he did in fact, know he was terrible but loved to reactions he recieved from the crowd. If he did know how bad he was, he certainly had a great sense of humour.

These poems are, of course, terrible. But that's what makes them all the more readable. With me, reading poetry is a toil. Unless it strikes me first off (like Burns' version of Tam Linn, or EA Poe's The Haunted Palace) I find it hard to concentrate on understanding it. No such problems with McGonagal. Blink, and you'll miss a piece of writing that is strangely genius. If he write bad poetry for the fun of it, he deserves credit. Even I couldn't write poetry as bad as this!

This collection, from a man who liked to call himself "Sir William Topaz McGonagal. Poet and Tragidean. Knight of The White Elephant of Burma"; is a refreshing and oddly heartwarming read. I found sympathy for McGonagal because he didn't achieve the fame he was apparently convinced he would.

If he really was playing an enormous prank, then I'm sure he's sitting beside Burns laughing at society. Just as songs don't have to be good to make the number 1 spot, McGonagal showed us that poetry doesn't have to be good to be published.

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