Yep, Richard, I think that we are all agreeing in our own quirky ways pretty much along the lines that you identify.

There are poets whose works and personalities I don't particularly like. Is the dislike of the works because of my dislike of the personality? But there are some whose personalities I do like but much of whose work leaves me cold.

I'm not particularly fond of Eliot, works or bloke.

I detest Pound on both scores.

There's not much in Auden that I like (though some), and I reckon he plagiarised Laura Riding.

I reckon Frost's a mate though, and writes the goods.

I know I would have loathed Larkin personally, but I think the poems are right up there.

Laura Riding sounds like a total loony, and hell to be around, but I love her work: she is one of my very favourite poets. Unfashionable: I don't think I've communicated with another person who likes her writing.

I don't think I would have had much patience with Yeats the man, though I don't mind some of his stuff.

Rimbaud sounds like a real shite, but he wrote some amazing poems.

Dylan Thomas -- well, problematic but I think we would have got on; I do like the poems, even though they're not really in right now.

Shakespeare and I hit it off well personally, and he certainly can bang out a poem (often embedded in a play).

I'm very fond of Keats, man and poet. And John Clare. I can't help liking Byron, for all his posing, man and poet.

Shelley's a bit.... I dunno.

John Donne, Kit Marlowe -- mates! John Skelton: close friend and bloody good poet.

Famous Seamus seems OK: nice poems.

Ted Hughes would be a chum, and I like a lot of his poetry, but dislike a lot too.

Sylvia I adore.