The campaign to succeed Christopher Ricks as Oxford professor of poetry seems to be getting intense. The two candidates, Nobel laureate Derek Walcott and Ruth Padel, have secured more than 80 “nominators” each. Walcott is believed to have the slimmest of edges, with support from writers like Alan Hollinghurst, Marina Warner, John Carey, Jon Stallworthy, Jenny Joseph, Bernard O’Donoghue, UA Fanthorpe, Alan Brownjohn, Anthony Thwaite and historian Margaret MacMillan. He is also believed to be favored by graduate students. Since only those present at the Sheldonian on polling day, May 16, can vote, the outcome will be decided by who can get more of their supporters to attend.
For a brief note on the contest see http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/05/oxford-professor-of-poetry
Repeating Islands 
yeah but what about all the student sexual harrassment – two cases – that walcott has had to defend? is it wise to have him around female students in Oxford? I think we need to be careful
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=519076
http://world-poetry.suite101.com/article.cfm/derek_walcott
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=t12pPFh9BMYC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=derek+walcott+sexual+harrassment&source=bl&ots=wX5br6i1JV&sig=LLiCk0wALASAHpJH8hGcSQEpRmI&hl=en&ei=ccjsSbqKF4LK-Aai9LnFBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5
LikeLike
i agree with Harmony. The dude is a genius on on the page but when it comes to young women the vibe is that he obviously has an unreconstructed male/female world view. A friend who teaches at the university of alberta in canada says they are really worried for their yoiung female students as he will be teaching there soon
LikeLike