Trafalgar Square
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| - | '''Adrian Mitchell''' ([[24 October]] [[1932]] – [[20 December]] [[2008]]) was an [[English poet]], [[novelist]] and [[playwright]], best-known for his poem ''[[To Whom It May Concern (poem)|To Whom It May Concern]]''. | ||
| - | == Career == | ||
| - | It has been said that his work demonstrates a powerful social conscience and he has been described as the "shadow [[poet laureate]]." | ||
| - | Mitchell's voice is deceptively simple, but there is a subtlety in his apparent lack of showy technique. | + | '''Trafalgar Square''' is a square in central [[London]], [[England]]. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction; its trademark is [[Nelson's Column]] which stands in the centre and the four lion statues that guard the column. Statues and sculptures are on display in the square, including a fourth plinth displaying changing<!-- is this true - do they change? --> pieces of contemporary art, and it is a site of political [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]]. |
| - | He has written large numbers of love poems and political poems, and frequently does public readings for Left wing causes. Searing satire is his speciality. Asked by the establishment to write a poem about the Prince of Wales and his special relationship with the people of Wales, he contributed the short masterpiece : "Royalty is a neurosis./ Get well soon." | + | The name commemorates the [[Battle of Trafalgar]] (1805), a [[Royal Navy|British naval]] victory of the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. The original name was to have been "[[William IV of the United Kingdom|King William the Fourth's]] Square", but [[George Ledwell Taylor]] suggested the name "Trafalgar Square". |
| - | He is in the habit of writing in the prologue of his collections of poems "None of the work in this book is to be used in connection with any examination whatsoever." Once a poem was used in a GCSE exam anyway. He agreed to let it go providing he was allowed to sit the exam anonymously (he failed!). | + | The northern area of the square had been the site of the [[King's Mews]] since the time of [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], while the southern end was the original [[Charing Cross]], where the [[Strand, London|Strand]] from [[City of London|the City]] met [[Whitehall]], coming north from [[Westminster]]. As the midpoint between these twin cities, Charing Cross is to this day considered the heart of London, from which all distances are measured. |
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| - | Perhaps his best known poem is ''[[To Whom It May Concern (poem)|To Whom It May Concern]]'', about the Vietnam war, which was first read in [[Trafalgar Square]] in [[1964]]. A revised version, referring not only to Vietnam, but also to [[Iraq]] and [[Venezuela]] was read at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] on [[25 September]] [[2005]] as part of the [[Poetry Olympics]] Twenty05 Festival, organised by [[Michael Horovitz]]. | + | |
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| - | ==Awards== | + | |
| - | * 1961 [[Eric Gregory Award]] | + | |
| - | * 1966 [[PEN Translation Prize]] | + | |
| - | * 1971 [[Tokyo Festival Television Film Award]] | + | |
| - | * 2005 [[CLPE Poetry Award]] (shortlist) for ''Daft as a Doughnut'' | + | |
| + | In the 1820s the [[George IV of the United Kingdom|Prince Regent]] engaged the landscape architect [[John Nash (architect)|John Nash]] to redevelop the area. Nash cleared the square as part of his Charing Cross Improvement Scheme. The present architecture of the square is due to Sir [[Charles Barry]] and was completed in 1845. | ||
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Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction; its trademark is Nelson's Column which stands in the centre and the four lion statues that guard the column. Statues and sculptures are on display in the square, including a fourth plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art, and it is a site of political demonstrations.
The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars. The original name was to have been "King William the Fourth's Square", but George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name "Trafalgar Square".
The northern area of the square had been the site of the King's Mews since the time of Edward I, while the southern end was the original Charing Cross, where the Strand from the City met Whitehall, coming north from Westminster. As the midpoint between these twin cities, Charing Cross is to this day considered the heart of London, from which all distances are measured.
In the 1820s the Prince Regent engaged the landscape architect John Nash to redevelop the area. Nash cleared the square as part of his Charing Cross Improvement Scheme. The present architecture of the square is due to Sir Charles Barry and was completed in 1845.
