Prize poet takes the rap

Ted Hughes, Britain's most prestigious poet, could find himself competing against rap artists at next year's poetry "Oscars" following the success of Jamie McKendrick, a rival poet, who won pounds 10,000 for his collection The Marble Fly at last night's Forward poetry awards.

William Sieghart, poetry crusader and founder of the Forward Prize, told The Independent last night: "Rap music is one of the most influential forms of the last 20 years". McKendrick, who was born in Liverpool in 1955, won the Eric Gregory Award in 1984 and was described as a one of the "New Generation Poets" in the same year.

l For the fourth year running, the corporate world will today embrace National Poetry Day, another part of Sieghart's poetic vision.