Simon Armitage, arguably Britain’s greatest living poet, descended on the Lighthouse on Friday and set his audience ablaze with the power of his words.

Despite being the winner of one of one of the first Forward prizes and becoming a recent owner of a CBE for his services to poetry and acclaimed collections of work, he is loved as much or being a down to earth and ‘ordinary’ poet who it is easy for anyone to relate to and enjoy – young or old.

For the poetry hungry audience he delivered a meal that seemed to leave everyone full but still wanting more, starting with work from his latest collection which is more prose poetry and ideally suited for Simon’s one-man show.

It sparkled without the use of technology, videos or background music. The depth and quality of work speaks for itself and would be magnetic in any setting.

His poems, edgy and funny with unexpected twists and surreal endings were delivered in his velvety, gentle Yorkshire accent made softer by a heavy cold that did not betray the bitter and steely truths that caught everyone by surprise and in turns left them either silent, spellbound or smiling.

“Cheeses of Nazareth” has the opening line ‘I fear for the long-term commercial viability of the new Christian cheese shop in our neighbourhood’ and “Beyond Huddersfield” explores the possibility of wild bears roaming around towns like Dewsbury and the discovery of one that lives in a roadside re-cycling site with a dark addiction.

There was a moving and prophetic moment in “I’ll Be There To Love and Comfort You” about a couple who rediscover their long-dead child which resonated with everyone’s thoughts on the Japanese disaster.

“She looked like a corpse pulled from the rubble of an earthquake after five days in a faraway country famous for its paper kites.”