The Atlantic Selects
William McGonagall: Worst Poet Ever
Apr 01, 2016
|
831 videos
Video by
Scott Calonico
The Scottish poet Sir William McGonagall wrote prolifically in the 1800s, and was widely hailed as one of the worst in the world—his audiences would even throw rotten fish and produce at him while he performed. Scott Calonico, whose explorations of history through film we've featured many times on Atlantic Video, tells McGonagall’s story through a variety of interviews and excerpts from his terrible poems. “He’s a lazy poet,” says the University of Dundee lecturer Eddie Smalls. “He doesn’t try to find the right word, he just tries to find something that will rhyme."
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to [email protected].
Author: Nadine Ajaka
About This Series
A showcase of cinematic short documentary films, curated by The Atlantic.
