Simon Armitage at book signing.
Source: summonedbyfells/CC2.0
For more than 300 years, the United Kingdom has had a poet laureate. This person is an advocate for the arts and often crafts poems for national occasions. Simon Armitage was recently named the kingdom’s newest laureate. The respected poet from north England hopes to use poetry to bring attention to climate change. Some critics have said Armitage does not reflect the UK’s diversity. Imtiaz Dharker, born in Pakistan, declined the honor before it was awarded to Armitage.