21. William McGonagall Life Stories, Books, & Links Stories about william mcgonagall's life and Poems, Poetic Gems. With links to essays literary criticism and analysis. Biographical Information. Stories about william mcgonagall. Selected works http://www.todayinliterature.com/biography/william.mcgonagall.asp

Friday May 28 th = registration required = premium members = electronic service TABLE OF CONTENTS William McGonagall - Life Stories, Books, and Links Biographical Information Stories about William McGonagall Selected works by this author Selected books about / related to this author ... Recommended links BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION William McGonagall, favorite son and official "Best Bad Poet" of Dundee Scotland. William McGonagall Category: Scottish Literature Born: 1825 Edinburgh, Scotland Died: 1902 Edinburgh, Scotland Related authors: No related authors found list all writers WILLIAM MCGONAGALL - LIFE STORIES World's "Best Bad Poet" On this day in 1902 William McGonagall, poet and tragedian of Dundee, died. Today McGonagall is a cult figure, his many collections of poetry translated into over a dozen languages and selling well to those wishing to investigate a reputation for "the worst poetry ever written, in any language, at any time." Auld Lang Syne Rhyme This day, or the moment of this day's passing, has brought out the commemorative spirit in many. At one end of the range is the world's "Best Bad Poet," William McGonagall; at the other is poet laureate Tennyson's "In Memoriam"; somewhere in the middle is Robert Service, whose hobo-hero chooses New Year's Eve and McGuffy's Saloon for his last, fatal memory of Ethel. top of page SELECTED WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR Collected Poems anthology, poetry

22. SCOTTISH BOOKS A photograph of the poet, striking a dramatic pose with his hat and walking stick. http://www.magicdragon.com/Wallace/mcgonagall.html

SCOTTISH WRITERS William McGonagall Return to the previous page

23. Great Scotsmen - William McGonagall Humorous tribute from the alternative voice of Scotland . http://www.firstfoot.co.uk/Great Scot/gonagall.htm

http://firstfoot.co.uk/ http://firstfoot.co.uk/

24. Poetry Of Scotland - Poems By William Topaz MacGonagall, Scotland's Worst Poet, Short bio plus small selection of poems with brief background information. http://www.it-serve.co.uk/poetry/Mcgonagall/mcgonagallhome.php

4:40 pm Friday, 28 May 2004 Scots Glossary Glossary Web Links Links Poem Topics Humour Life Love Nature ... Other Featured Poets A Akobyan H M Anstruther M Barclay T Barker ... D L Sulgrove William Topaz McGonagall William Topaz McGonagall was an eccentric figure who was born in Edinburgh. He later moved to Dundee where he remained for much of his life. He was revered as "The World's Worst Poet" composing such rhymes as "The Tay Bridge Disaster". However he was very well read and was conversant with the works of Shakespeare, Scott, Burns and other well known writers. At long last, in the year 2002 - 100 years after his death, the City of Dundee are honouring McGonagall, by prominently displaying in stone, his famous poem about the River Tay. McGonagall's poetry bequeathed to the Scots the gift of humorous expression, the ability to see the funny side of things and a reminder to not take life too seriously. This is well demonstrated by many of his poems beginning with the word 'Beautiful' e.g. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Katrine. His poems about the River Tay frequently use that word. As a result of popular demand, we have published to the web site, McGonagall's trilogy of poems on The Tay Bridge.

25. Index Page Selection of general and military works. http://www.geocities.com/trollocksuk/

William McGonagall William McGonagall Is The Adopted Patron Poet Of The Troll City Message Board. General Verse A Christmas Carol The Destroying Angel A Tribute to Henry Stanley The Heather Blend Club Banquet ... The Farewell Addres s An Address to the New Tay Bridge The Newport Railway A Tale Of The Sea The Tay Bridge Disaster ... The Collision in the English Channel Military Verse General Roberts The Hero Of Rorke's Drift The Battle of Gujrat The Battle of Atabara ... The First Grenadier of France

26. Scotland Magazine : Issue 5 :: William McGonagall: White Elephant Lengthy article about the man from Scotland Magazine. http://www.scotlandmag.com/issue/5/scottish_poets/169

Friday 28th May 2004 Scotland Magazine Issue 5 Published 2 May 2004 Buy this issue Subscribe to Scotland Magazine Read other issues online Scottish Poets Back to Issue 5 Back to Scottish Poets William McGonagall: White Elephant By Gavin D Smith Gavin D Smith explains the peculiar success of Scotland's worst poet William McGonagall, aka 'Knight of the White Elephant of Burma' Scotland’s second best-known poet after Burns”, I said to the magazine’s Editor, trying to persuade him to commission a feature about William McGonagall, who died a century ago this year. “Scotland’s second-best poet,” he mused. “No,” I replied, “second best-known. There’s a big difference.” Robert Burns is acknowledged the world over as a fine writer by any standards – technically accomplished, sensitive and insightful, with an impressive breadth of subject matter and a clear mastery over it. When it comes to William McGonagall, however, Scottish author William McIlvanney recently described him as the “ foremostpoet of banal pomposity, excruciating scansion and rhymes of such numbing impact they could give you cauliflower ears just fromsilent reading.” Indeed, if Burns can be judged Scotland’s best poet, then McGonagall is undoubtedly its worst, and to some even the World’s Worst Poet. Yet while Burns societies exist in every corner of the globe, McGonagall appreciation societies have proliferated in almost equal numbers. Some 300 websites are dedicated to McGonagall, including a number in the Russian and Romanian languages. The very awfulness of his work has become its virtue.

27. Bawd:just Bad Poetry Lengthy essay about the poet, his life and his writings. http://ukuleleking.diaryland.com/030308_41.html

archives forums store calendar ... Ramcatter's Ball The Ukulele King continues discussing his new publication, this time babbling about his peculiar editorial mission. Hiatus The Ukulele King explains his month-long absence and introduces a new publication. The Chastushki: Naughty Poem or Tool of Dissent? The Ukulele King peers into the dark heart of Russia's foulest poetic form. Edward Gorey, a Deranged Wit The Ukulele King tackles the impressive legacy of the 20th century's most famous writer and illustrator of disturbing verse. A Traditionalist When It Comes to Filthy Songs The Ukulele King describes why he clings so fast to the tradition of hollering terrible verses. A First Poetry Reading I think it was the Ukulele King, in a stairwell, with a limerick. Elsa Lanchester, a Cause of Lasciviousness in Others The Ukulele King indulges in his obsession with the English music hall by introducing one of its late performers. For more stories, look at bawd's archives Turn the Ukulele King into a pirate! Fame On!

28. McGonagall, William Book At The Best Price Buy mcgonagall, william books from the best shops. Browse by author mcgonagall,william (15 of 5). 1. Title Collected Poems. Author(s) mcgonagall, william. http://books.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/cpc_5101_vtl_author_c19106202.html

Search all of kelkoo Search within "Books" Bookmark this page Departments Home Books Digital Came... Electronics Flights Games, Conso... Household Ap... Mobiles, Pho... Music Shopping 4 B... Travel  TOP BOOKS Dr Ali's Nutrition Bible Ali, Mosaraf Eats, Shoots and Leaves Truss, Lynne ... more top books >  TOP AUTHORS Tolkien, J.R.R. Blyton, Enid Rowling, J.K. Pratchett, Terry ... M McGonagall, William Browse by author : McGonagall, William (1-5 of 5) Title: Collected Poems Author(s): McGonagall, William William McGonagall, who discovered his poetic ability in 1877, has remained one of the most popular of Scotland's alternative poets. This complete collection... more Title: William McGonagall: a Selection Author(s): McGonagall, William Contains highlights from McGonagall's work, arranged by theme, and with an introduction and notes to set the poet and poems in their historical context. more Title: Complete McGonagall, The Author(s): McGonagall, William more Title: Poetic Gems Author(s): McGonagall, William The Victorian poet William McGonagall was known as the "greatest bad verse writer" of his age, but was sustained throughout his career by a belief in his... more Title: World's Worst Poet: Selections, The

29. McGonagall 2002 Virtual gallery, and details of exhibition celebrating the work of william mcgonagall. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/centlib/silverytay/index.htm

Click on a photograph to display a larger image. Please be patient these files take a few minutes to download Bonnie Montrose - The Castle O' The Mains The Royal Poet Dundee Music Hall ... 28th December 1879 These images are from an exhibition that was held in Central Library , The Wellgate, Dundee th September to 31 st October 2002. Contact Local Studies Department , Tel No 01382 431550 for further information about McGonagall. Gallery created by the Community Information Team

30. William Topaz McGonagall-Poet And Tragedian william mcgonagall. william mcgonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. The william Topaz mcgonagall Appreciation Society is based in Mennies Speedwell Bar, 165/167 Perth Road http://www.taynet.co.uk/users/mcgon

Linkexchange Member William McGonagall William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

31. Collected Poems - Find Your Book At A Cheap Price With Kelkoo BOOK PROFILE. Collected Poems mcgonagall, william. william mcgonagall, who discoveredhis poetic ability in 1877, has remained one of the most popular of http://books.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/cpc_5101_ps_3214022_gs_16270378.html

Search all of kelkoo Search within "Books" Bookmark this page Departments Home Books Digital Came... Electronics Flights Games, Conso... Household Ap... Mobiles, Pho... Music Shopping 4 B... Travel  TOP BOOKS Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear Lear, Edward Collected Poems McGonagall, William ... more top books >  TOP AUTHORS Carroll, Lewis Lear, Edward Gray, John Poe, Edgar Allan ... Works by individual poets: 19th century BOOK PROFILE Collected Poems - McGonagall, William William McGonagall, who discovered his poetic ability in 1877, has remained one of the most popular of Scotland's alternative poets. This complete collection of his work includes poems from "Poetic Gems", "More Poetic Gems" and "Last Poetic Gems". Genre: Works by individual poets: 19th century First published: Compare prices Release info : Paperback Editor / Edition: NA / Reprint Released: 06/06/2000 Pages / length: 566 pages Page size: 196 x 126 Weight: 476 g ISBN: 1874744017 Compare prices Most popular books by the same author Title: Poetic Gems Author(s): McGonagall, William The Victorian poet William McGonagall was known as the "greatest bad verse writer" of his age, but was sustained throughout his career by a belief in his... more Title: William McGonagall: a Selection Author(s): McGonagall, William

32. McGonagall Online: The Pennsylvania Disaster Poem about the flood by famously bad poet william mcgonagall, with historical footnote and links. http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgpenn.htm

Home Poems Life Articles ... About The Pennsylvania Disaster 'TWAS in the year of 1889, and in the month of June, Ten thousand people met with a fearful doom, By the bursting of a dam in Pennsylvania State, And were burned, and drowned by the flood oh! pity their fate! The embankment of the dam was considered rather weak, And by the swelled body of water the embankment did break, And burst o'er the valley like a leaping river, Which caused the spectators with fear to shiver. And on rushed the mighty flood, like a roaring big wave, Whilst the drowning people tried hard their lives to save; But eight thousand were drowned, and their houses swept away, While the spectators looked on, stricken with dismay. And when the torrent dashed against the houses they instantly toppled o'er, Then many of the houses caught fire, which made a terrific roar; And two thousand people, by the fire, lost their lives, Consisting of darling girls and boys, also men and their wives. And when the merciless flood reached Johnstown it was fifty feet high

33. The Great McGonagall (William Topaz McGonagall): Scotland's Worst Poet. Brigadoo Fellow Brigadoonians who really want to know more about william mcgonagall andhis dubious poetic achievements are referred to a comprehensive and highly http://www.durham.net/~neilmac/great.htm

Brigadoonery Canada T he G reat McG onagall SCOTLAND ’S WORST POET E verybody knows the illustrious name of Scotland’s greatest poet, Robbie Burns. But how many have heard of William Topaz McGonagall the worst poet that Bonnie Scotland ever threw up, and arguably the worst poet ever to massacre the English language? The Victorian era produced more than its fair share of bad poetry. Silly, turgid, melodramatic tripe seemed to be a fashionable mode of expression in those days. Poetic schmaltz was churned out by untalented would-be bards at the slightest provocation. Celebrations, historical events, personal triumphs and tragedies, wars, disasters all provided grist for the poetic mill. Such works were frequently executed (the correct word, come to think of it!) with more enthusiasm than skill. Reams of Victorian doggerel were distinguished by ridiculous, overblown metaphors and foolishly grandiose presentations of commonplace subjects. Awkward, un-natural rhymes forced readers to put the em pha sis on the wrong syl la ble. Run-on sentences; painfully contorted sentence structure; and a plethora of ‘twases, ‘tweres, and other abridged or misspelled words abounded. Abject ignorance of elementary rhyme and meter was a cardinal feature of a lot of this stuff.

34. William Topaz McGonagall-Poet And Tragedian william mcgonagall. william mcgonagall is Dundee s best rememberednobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great http://www.taynet.co.uk/users/mcgon/default.htp

Linkexchange Member William McGonagall William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

35. Books By William McGonagall At Walmart.com - Every Day Low Prices Find books written by william mcgonagall. Select from 1000's of books at Walmart.com, we have a great selection of highquality merchandise, friendly service and, of course, Every Day Low Prices. http://rdre1.inktomi.com/click?u=http://na.link.decdna.net/n/3532/4200/www.walma

36. William McGonagall - The Tay Bridge Disaster The Tay Bridge Disaster. Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv ry Tay!Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken http://www.taynet.co.uk/users/mcgon/disaster.htm

The Tay Bridge Disaster Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay! Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember'd for a very long time. 'Twas about seven o'clock at night, And the wind it blew with all its might, And the rain came pouring down, And the dark clods seem'd to frown, And the Demon of the air seem'd to say- "I'll blow down the Bridge of Tay." When the train left Edinburgh The passengers' hearts were light and felt no sorrow, But Boreas blew a terrific gale, Which made their hearts for to quail, And many of the passengers with fear did say- "I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay." But when the train came near to Wormit Bay, Boreas he did loud and angry bray, And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember'd for a very long time. So the train sped on with all its might, And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sught, And the passengers' hearts felt light

37. Uk For Visitors Short biographical article and picture of a recently erected memorial plaque. http://scottishculture.about.com/aboutuk/scottishculture/library/blfammcgonagall

38. William McGonagall - McGonagallisms william mcgonagall Appreciation Society mcgonagallisms April 2003. HOME. Copyright© 1997, The william mcgonagall Appreciation Society. Revised 26 April, 2003. http://www.dundee22.freeserve.co.uk/bglink11.htm

William McGonagall Appreciation Society McGonagall-isms April 2003 As I was walkin' doon the road I saw a coo, A bull by Goad! Hark! What's that I hear? The Fifies' bump'd against the pier! The Tay! The Tay! The Silv'ry Tay It goes up to Perth, And back twice a day! When the moon is upside doon, The fishes swim from Ayr to Troon. But when the moon is fresh and fair, The fishes swim from Troon to Ayr. A chicken is a noble beast, The cow is much forlorner; Standing in the pouring rain, With a leg at every corner. Oh! Beautiful city of Glsgow. With your steam reciprocating engin's At the building of which, Your men get many singins. The do'os flee in and roon aboot, The Edinburgh Institute. HOME

39. William Topaz McGonagall Appreciation Society Dundeebased fan club for the poet and tragedian. Presents a good selection of his poems and links to other sites. http://www.dundee22.freeserve.co.uk/default.htm

William McGonagall 1825? - 29th September 1902 William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in *Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

40. The Worst Poem Of All Time: William Topaz McGonagall's “The Tay Bridge Disaster Text and criticism of the work. http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/aa050499.htm?once=true&

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Page 2     21-40 of 94    Back | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | Next 20