Poet Adrian Mitchell dies

Adrian Mitchell, a poet whose passionate works about nuclear war, Vietnam and racism were often sung at left-wing rallies, died Saturday. He was 76. Publisher Bloodaxe Books said on its Web site that Mitchell died in his sleep of a suspected heart attack after suffering from pneumonia for two months. One of his best-known poems, "Human Beings," was voted the poem people would most like to see launched into space in a 2005 poll by the writing charity The Poetry Society. Mitchell was also a successful playwright, novelist and children's writer. He had just completed a new anthology, "Tell Me Lies: Poems 2005-2008," and a collection of work for children called "Umpteen Poems." Mitchell was born in London in 1932 and worked as a journalist for several years before going full time with his creative writing - IHT