Adrian Mitchell

Brian Patten writes: Along with e. e. cummings, Adrian Mitchell (obituary, Dec 23) was one of the few poets who could write truly joyous, open-hearted and happy poetry as well as intensely felt lyrics. Adrian never had an easy ride from the critics, few of whom seem to be able to respond positively to poetry that sang and danced, rather than stomp glumly about. Perhaps they simply did not have his generosity of spirit. Often his work seemed far too simple for them. It was clear, deeply felt and without guile. As well as being a good poet he was something far rarer: a truly good man. Along with Ted Hughes, who praised him, Adrian was one of the poetic giants of the second half of the 20th century.

Andrew Hollering writes: Adrian Mitchell’s reading of his poem Tell Me Lies about Vietnam was for me the highlight of the Wholly Communion poetry festival in 1965. At first I failed to recognise him when I met him at breakfast some five years later, during an educational conference at Dartington Hall. He was quiet and unassuming until we got on to the subject of education, when he argued with clear and passionate intensity that children are expected only to listen and shut up in classrooms, to the lasting detriment of their individuality.

Margery Gill

Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith writes: Margery Gill (obituary, Dec 17) has been part of my Christmas for more than 20 years. In the days before Christmas, every year, I read through (in the Puffin edition) the anthology A Single Star by David Davis, whom your older readers may recall from the BBC’s Children’s Hour. Gill’s line drawings, marvellously evocative even on coarse and yellowing paper, are an integral part of its charm. The illustrations of children scattered through the book recall instantly the children of 30 years ago (the book was first published in 1973). I wrote to David Davis to tell him how I valued his little book. He told me in reply mine was the only letter he’d ever received about it. I wish I had also written to Margery Gill.

Vince Karalius

John Kenny writes: Vince Karalius (obituary, Dec 17) was just as much a product of the Swinging Sixties as were the Beatles. When I was a youth during those times in Widnes, just down the river from Liverpool, Karalius was the role model for all young rugby league professional aspirants and there were many stories about this legend. Apparently he accepted a challenge from another leading player to join him in diving from the recently built Widnes/Runcorn Bridge. Karalius emerged from the River Mersey apparently unscathed but I believe his co-diver was not so fortunate.

Harold Pinter

Mark Williams (chief executive, The Lord’s Taverner’s 1999–2007) writes: You refer to Harold Pinter’s passion for cricket (obituary, Dec 26). There was no better illustration than at a celebration of West Indies cricket titled “Cricket, lovely cricket”, which we put on in the Long Room at Lord’s in June 2007. I wrote to Derek Walcott asking him to take part, saying that we hoped that Harold Pinter would also take part. I wrote similarly to Harold saying that we hoped that Derek Walcott would also take part. Each of them replied that if the other was coming then he could not possibly miss such an historic event. Harold duly appeared, though seriously ill. He read his poem about the Somerset cricketer Arthur Wellard, while Derek Walcott composed a poem for the occasion lamenting the demise of West Indies cricket. But the highlight of the evening for these two great Nobel laureates of literature was not each other’s attendance but the presence of the great West Indies cricketer Sir Everton Weekes. A life’s ambition was satisfied when the pair of them had their photo taken with their cricketing hero, who had played in the historic Lord’s Test of 1950 that gave rise to the calypso Cricket, Lovely Cricket.