28 JANUARY 1966, Page 20

Lunch with a Famous British Poet

The Snow Queen has grown an icicle

And sets herself up as King.

The chill-grey oyster eyes, gone dead, Stare incommunicado 'mid the nippy adjectives.

All other poets perish in the zero weather.

It holds in storage the question Who am 1? ; forever. M. L. ROSENTHAL