Ricks nicks Poetry Professor
Election results for the new Oxford Professor of Poetry were announced on Saturday, with Christopher Ricks beating off stern opposition to receive the coveted title.
Best known for his work on the lyrics of Bob Dylan, Ricks, 70, was also the establishment favourite, being Editor of The Oxford Book of English Verse and a humanities professor at the prestigious Boston University.
His victory however has led to some disquiet among commentators, as he is the first academic to hold the post for a long period of time, and is most famous for his critical books on other poets, rather than his own poetry.
A 2/1 favourite, Ricks won with 214 votes, ahead of Peter Porter and Anne Carson, who polled 175 votes and 105 votes respectively.
Performance poet Ian McMillan performed badly - his 17 votes put him in last place - whilst highly prolific post-graduate Marcus Walker, former President of the Oxford Union and OUCA, received only 20 votes, as his hopes of drawing on the loyalty of the Union and OUCA voters seemed in vain.
He did however tell The OxStu: "I find it highly amusing that I beat an actual poet. It had me giggling."
The position of Poetry Professor is a highly prestigious one, with former title-holders including such literary luminaries as Paul Muldoon, who was the last professor, W.H. Auden and Seamus Heaney.
The award was established in 1708 on the bequest of Henry Birkhead, a Berkshire landowner, and is the only professorial post to be decided through an election.
The term served is five years with a salary of £5,427 p.a, and the holder cannot stand again.
Duties include giving a public lecture each term, distributing grants, and generally encouraging the art of poetry in the University.
20th May 2004