ROSES ARE RED / VIOLETS ARE BLUE / TOMATOS ARE PERFECT / FOR THROWING AT YOU

A collection of poems by the man often called the world’s worst poet sold at an auction in Edinburgh last week for over $12,000. William McGonagall, who died in 1902, thought that his poetry was some of the best in the world and tried unsuccessfully to become Great Britain’s Poet Laureate. Unfortunately nobody recognized his talent and he was routinely ridiculed and pelted with food while he held one of his many unsolicited public performances. According to Scottish poetry historians, "poet-baiting became quite an activity for the students of the time, where they would encourage him to perform, and then they would throw eggs and vegetables at him.” (BBC)