IT WAS a proud moment for Swindon and in particular, for the Swindon Festival of Literature, when poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy came to town.

Of course, it’s not the first time she’s been here – back in the late 1980s, she was the town’s poet in residence.

And so it was apt that she was greeted, at the Steam Museum, with much fanfare – a packed audience who had come from far and wide, poetry readings by local writers and a stunning performance by the town’s own Swerve Dance Theatre Company.

The exquisite poetry followed by the superbly edgy, modern performance by Swerve would have been a good night out in itself.

And then, of course, Ms Duffy arrived.

She briefly regaled the audience with memories of her time, under Thamesdown Council, as poet in residence, and then launched into the long-awaited reading of some of her poems.

From Mrs Midas, who hits the cooking wine when she realises Mr Midas is up to no good, to Mrs Darwin, who at the zoo with her husband, comments on the similarity between him and the monkeys, Duffy had her audience roaring in the aisles and applauding with delight.

Her feminist insight and warm wit sent ripples of laughter – and sometimes uproarious guffaws – around the audience.

It is such a joy that, in this day and age when people usually choose the telly or the pub for their evening’s entertainment, poetry can still entice and enthral an audience, making them laugh, gasp, weep and go home inspired.