Come On Everybody brings together poems from a dozen collections published by Adrian Mitchell over five decades, from Poems (1964) to his final collection, Tell Me Lies (2008). His poetry's simplicity, clarity, passion and humour show his allegiance to a vital, popular tradition embracing William Blake as well as the ballads and the blues. His most nakedly political poems - about war, Vietnam, prisons and racism - became part of the folklore of the Left, sung and recited at demonstrations and mass rallies. His childlike questioning was a constant reminder from the 60s onwards that poetry is first and foremost an assertion of the human spirit. A pacifist prophet who remained true to his heartfelt beliefs, Mitchell reported back for over half a century from a world blighted by war, compromise, double-talk and pragmatism without losing his innocence, integrity and impish sense of humour. Angela Carter described him as a 'joyous, acrid and demotic tumbling lyricist Pied Piper determinedly singing us away from catastrophe'.
- ISBN13 9781852249465
- Publish Date 25 October 2012 (first published 24 October 2012)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Bloodaxe Books Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 416
- Language English