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'World's worst poems' at auction 'Worst poet' outsells boy wizard
(about 5 hours later)
Poems by the man ridiculed as "the world's worst poet" are expected to fetch up to £6,500 at auction. A private collector has paid £6,600 for poems by the man ridiculed as "the world's worst poet".
Thirty-five of William McGonagall's works - many of them autographed - are going under the hammer on Friday. A total of 35 of William McGonagall's works - many of them autographed - have been up for auction in Edinburgh.
The ditties by "The Tayside Tragedian" have been valued in the same league as Harry Potter first editions signed by JK Rowling. The ditties by "The Tayside Tragedian" went for more than a collection of Harry Potter first editions signed by author JK Rowling.
McGonagall, who died in 1902, was often mocked and had food thrown at him during readings in Dundee.McGonagall, who died in 1902, was often mocked and had food thrown at him during readings in Dundee.
He was born in Edinburgh in 1825, but spent much of his life in Dundee as a handloom weaver in the jute mills.He was born in Edinburgh in 1825, but spent much of his life in Dundee as a handloom weaver in the jute mills.
His poems cover subjects including Scottish battles and Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. He did not start writing poems until he was 47, but went on to write about subjects including Scottish battles and Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.
He also took pleasure in writing about death and catastrophe, and his most famous work was a poem about the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879.He also took pleasure in writing about death and catastrophe, and his most famous work was a poem about the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879.
A section from it reads:A section from it reads:
"So the train mov'd slowly along the Bridge of Tay, Until it was about midway,Then the central girders with a crash gave way,And down went the train and passengers into the Tay...""So the train mov'd slowly along the Bridge of Tay, Until it was about midway,Then the central girders with a crash gave way,And down went the train and passengers into the Tay..."
Alex Dove, from auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull, said: "Poetry didn't really come to him until I think he was 47 and the voices in his head told him that he'd be able to write poems. Alex Dove, from auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull, said: "He was a confident gentleman who thought that his poetry was some of the best.
Poet-baiting became an ongoing activity, they used to throw vegetables at him and all sorts Alex DoveLyon and Turnbull "He once walked all the way to Balmoral to try to become Poet Laureate. Unfortunately the Queen wasn't in.
"Then he thought he was the best thing since sliced bread, he thought he should be the poet laureate and all sorts. "He spent a lot of time on the streets of Dundee trying to sell his poems and performing them, much to the amusement of the residents.
"He tried to hawk these poems around the streets of places like Dundee and he was notoriously encouraged to give performances just so people could make fun of him. Because some people take offence with it and ridicule it, they fail to realise what McGonagall is trying to say, which is a narrative of all the events he saw David KettDundee Central Library
"Poet-baiting became an ongoing activity, they used to throw vegetables at him and all sorts." "Poet-baiting became quite an activity for the students of the time, where they would encourage him to perform, and then they would throw eggs and vegetables at him.
The poems which are being auctioned in Edinburgh are expected to fetch more than rare first editions of James Bond novels, a Mickey Mouse book from 1931 and a first edition of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The new owner's bid for the poems was £5,500, but once commission is included they will have to fork out £6,600.
Ms Dove said: "I think he's still popular now because he's so bad, because they're so humorous and a lot of people have kept him going in the media, people like Spike Milligan, Terry Pratchett, and it means he's still in print 100 years later." The Harry Potter books only brought in £6,000.
McGonagall was also a lifelong temperance campaigner and used his poems to warn people of the dangers of alcohol: David Kett from the library service in Dundee believes much of the criticism McGonagall receives is unjustified.
"Oh, thou demon Drink, thou fell destroyer;Thou curse of society, and its greatest annoyer.What hast thou done to society, let me think?I answer thou hast caused the most of ills, thou demon Drink." "He's really popular because he promoted himself to an enormous extent and he produced this interesting and unique verse, which has resonated down the ages," he said.
"Because some people take offence with it and ridicule it, they fail to realise what McGonagall is trying to say, which is a narrative of all the events he saw.
"It's bad in parts, but there are parts of the poetry where he does achieve a certain extent of lyricism, describing one of the country parks he mentions 'the bees buzzing in the lyme trees' - really conjures up the image."