THE prince of punk poetry, Dr John Cooper Clarke, will make Hereford's Shire Hall a stop on his ‘Luckiest Guy Alive’ Tour.

Which is lucky for his many local fans.

On offer will be "an intimate evening of his singular poetry and ebullient chat".

John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original ‘people’s poet’.

Famously, in less PC times, he wondered why "you never see a nipple in the Daily Express".

Back in the days of early punk, his poetry was put to music by leading lights of the punk scene, including the Buzzcocks Pete Shelley, The Durutti Columns and Vinnie Reilly.

And Steve Coogan believes he's an "absolute genius".

A spokesman said: "He's a huge pop culture figure and this is a massive coup for the Hall. It should be a great night. His career has spanned cultures, audiences, art forms and continents - a lifelong craft most recently embodied in his book of poetry The Luckiest Guy Alive, which was released worldwide in November on Picador/Macmillan.

"He's as relevant and vibrant as ever, and his influence just as visible on today’s pop culture. Aside from his trademark ‘look’ continuing to resonate with fashionistas young and old, and his poetry included on national curriculum syllabus, his effect on modern music is huge."

The spokesman added: "His influence can be heard within the keen social observations of the Arctic Monkeys and Plan B. These collaborations mean that John has been involved in 2 recent global number 1 albums - with The Arctic Monkeys putting one of John's best loved poems, I Wanna Be Yours, to music on their critically acclaimed AM Album.

"His latest show, touring across the UK, USA, Canada and Australasia, is a mix of classic verse, extraordinary new material, hilarious ponderings on modern life, good honest gags, riffs and chat - a chance to witness a living legend at the top of this game."

The date for the diary is March 30.

Further details: http://johncooperclarke.com/gigs/