The latest in the Guardian.

Duncan

Mills & Boon seems to be a lot like the Harlequin Romance line here -- ouch. Money quote from the Guardian article:

Hill demeans himself. After 350 years of male dominance. Duffy is the first female poet laureate. Hill's comparison of the language of Duffy to Mills & Boon is like a man in the 1950s comparing the first female managing director to a jumped-up office angel.

I believe Hill also called himself a "sinister old harlequin." Hill's discussion of "the language of Duffy" includes both the bad and the good, which is a good thing, I think. Here's a more complete quote from Hill on Duffy's The Christmas Truce - sounds pretty good to me:

So that although “filled” and “glittering” are words that come with a standard poetry kit, “treasured” is beautifully chosen and placed. ... Something instantaneous occurs when a word is used effectively - I would dare to say magically. For an instant, the poem seems to hover over itself, as if aware of itself, as a well-struck thing resonating.

Here's Allan Massie putting Hill's comments into perspective.

Not very well written though. How CAN he write "...Hill...says: ..." in §3 and then start §4: "He went on to say,..." (Mixed tenses.)

Duncan

I'm convinced that the raunchier meaning of "policing her patch" that Michael would prefer is exactly what Hill means.

RM

Also from the Guardian article:

"...this year could be the best for poetry since the mid-60s..."

Can't argue with that!