![Simon Armitage lecture](https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/styles/ow_medium_feature/s3/field/field_image_main/MarcWest1_0.jpg?itok=0GF4PnA_)
Professor Armitage spoke to a packed audience, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton (pictured in foreground)
Listen to Simon Armitage's first lecture as Professor of Poetry
Simon Armitage gave his first lecture as Professor of Poetry to a packed audience at the Examination Schools yesterday evening (Tuesday 24 November).
A full audio recording of the lecture is now available.
Professor Armitage opened with an account of 'the parable of the solicitor and the poet', in which a poet pays a solicitor for legal advice. The solicitor then asked the poet to review some poetry he had written - and did not offer to pay the poet.
![Simon Armitage headshot](https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/styles/ow_content_width/s3/media_wysiwyg/MarcWest2.jpg?itok=nbkzbH-D)