Adrian out to spread verse; POETRY: Birmingham's new Poet Laureate getting into the community.

Byline: Diane Parkes

BIRMINGHAM'S new Poet Laureate was hard at work reading verse in the city centre today just hours after his appointment was announced.

Adrian Johnson was named as the city's 14th Poet Laureate at a ceremony first thing this morning; at lunchtime and this afternoon, he could be spotted around Birmingham landmarks. Aiming to mark National Poetry Day, Adrian was re-telling stories and poems on the theme of heroes and heroines at well-known spots such as The Iron Man and Horatio Nelson statues.

Adrian, who lives in Smethwick and holds the post of literature officer for Arts Council England in the West Midlands, takes over the post from 2008/9 Birmingham Poet Laureate Chris Morgan.

He follows in the footsteps of other well-known writers such as Roshan Doug, Roi Kwabena, Roz Goddard and Richard 'Dreadlockalien' Grant.

Before heading out onto the streets, Adrian said: "The main thing about being Poet Laureate is being able to share poetry with people right across the community.

"For instance, I would really like to do some work at Digbeth Coach Station, something like an artist in residence, because it is so much part of the city's life with people coming and going.

"The other event I would like to commemorate is the 100th birthday of the Electric Cinema."

Adrian, whose novel Love and Taxes is being adapted for the stage at Wolverhampton's Arena Theatre in December, said his own poetry heroes include Birmingham-born Rastafarain Benjamin Zephaniah, Wendy Cope, Carol Ann Duffy and Adrian Mitchell.

And he said poetry lies at the heart of people's life experience. "Poetry is so important," he said.

"It reflects all the things we experience in life - happy and sad and it is often a short and sweet way of expressing something."

The city's new Young Poet Laureate was also named today as King Edward's Camp Hill student 15-yearold India Miller from Harborne, although she was unable to attend this morning's event.

* T.S. Eliot was today announced as the nation's favourite poet.

Eliot, whose seminal poem The Waste Land was published in 1922, finished just ahead of Renaissance poet John Donne in the poll, organiosed by the BBC.

Birmingham's Benjamin Zephaniah, aged 51, came third.

The Waste Land is widely considered one of the most important poems of the 20th century.

His other works include Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, produced in 1939 on the eve of war, which was the inspiration for the musical Cats.

CAPTION(S):

Rhyme lords: Retiring Poet Laureate Chris Morgan (left) and his successor Adrian Johnson.