Double Poetry Whammy

from the Guardian this morning, treating Review readers to an interview with the magnificent Anne Carson AND a resolved Ruth Padel arguing that poetry is better than the gym as far as happiness indices are concerned. Both of them make a bid for the importance of 'difficult' poetry -- or indeed, claim that all poetry should be difficult. I can't really add anything to their contributions so... yeah... If the articles inspire you, look out for Padel's A Poem and a Journey, a follow-up compendium of poems and reading guides to her 52 ways of looking at a poem which is an English degree (except more fun and with fewer deadlines) in a book.