Geoffrey Hill delivers inaugural lecture as Professor of Poetry

University | Arts 01 Dec 10 Geoffrey Hill delivered his inaugural lecture as Oxford University's Professor of Poetry in the Examination Schools on Tuesday 30 December. Professor Hill, who was elected as Oxford's 44th Professor of Poetry in June, gave a lecture entitled 'How ill white hairs becomes a fool and jester'. Professor Hill discussed the notion of poetry as perjury and quoted from and analysed the structure of lines from Shakespeare's sonnets and many other texts. He also told his audience what they should not expect to hear during his tenure as Professor of Poetry. He said: "Poetry in the new millennium is what it is because of what poetry has been. I believe that contemporary poetry already receives far more attention than is good for it. 'During the tenure of this office I shall recuse myself from reading aloud any of my own work within the University.