Facebook, not literary history, inspire today’s young poets

Britain’s newest generation of poets is finding inspiration in modern technology, rather than literary history, experts say.

Today’s young poets are, in fact, far more likely to cite the likes of Benjamin Zephaniah and Allen Ginsberg than TS Eliot or anything by Keats.

It seems the Dead Poets Society has breathed its last, with only one of the 15 citing a “classic” poet as their inspiration.

“Teenagers have always written poetry but I think there’s something to do with the familiarity with Facebook and Twitter that gives a confidence in sharing your thoughts and feelings publicly,” the Independent quoted Judith Palmer, the chair of the Poetry Society as saying.

What sets the young writers apart from their older counterparts is the vitality they bring to their work, Ms Palmer added. “It is that huge excitement and energy of actually seeing something for the first time ?" a sense of wide-eyed aliveness.”