Shehanne Moore on Dundee’s Famous Poet, William McGonagall

Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

S4 E36: Shehanne Moore on Dundee’s Famous Poet, William McGonagall

“I may say Dame Fortune has been very kind to me by endowing me with the genius of poetry.” William McGonagall, The Autobiography of Sir William Topaz McGonagall

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host; Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Join me as I travel virtually to Broughty Ferry, Scotland, Dundee’s Historic Seaside Village, to meet up with my friend, writer, and publisher, Shehanne Moore. Shehanne has given us exciting historical romances – O’Roarke’s Destiny, His Judas Bride, Loving Lady Lazuli, The Unraveling of Lady Fury, and the list goes on.

As many of you know, Shehanne, has extensive knowledge of classical literature. A few months ago, she introduced me to William McGonagall, one of Scotland’s best-known poets. I confess that I had never heard this name before.

William McGonagall was the son of the working-class Irish handloom weavers. He was born in 1825 in Edinburgh and raised in Dundee. Some say that William McGonagall was the worst poet ever to commit pen to paper and yet, his poetry has never been out of print since his death in 1902. His influence is seen in the works of Spike Milligan, The Muppet Show, Terry Pratchett, and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Who was William McGonagall? Why was his poetry deemed “the worst?” Was he a fool or a genius? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Shehanne for introducing me to an unforgettable poet who persevered despite ridicule by those who looked down on his lowly station and humble verse. The more I read about William McGonagall, the more I see his brilliance.

The poem “Attempted Assassination of the Queen” by Knight of the White Elephant of Burmah, William McGonagall can be accessed on the following link:

Attempted Assassination Of The Queen

Thank you for joining Shehanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I invite you to meet up with Shehanne on WordPress, Pinterest, and Twitter. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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