John Douglas Mole (born 1941) is an English poet for adults and children, born in Taunton.[1] He is also a jazz clarinetist.[1] Mole graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge University, and began his career as a teacher. With the poet Peter Scupham he was co-editor of the Mandeville Press publishing house in Hitchin. He married the artist Mary Norman.[2] His papers are preserved at Cambridge University Library.[3]
Mole's many poems for children include "Variations on an Old Rhyme"[6] and "The Balancing Man". Both of these discuss political issues in a way that points out their relevance to young people.[1]
Treatment is a string of poems that amounts to a personal response to a course of chemotherapy he underwent.[7]
A reading of his poetry for the Poetry Archive appeared on CD. It was made on 30 April 2003 at the Audio Workshop, London, and produced by Richard Carrington. His published volumes of verse include The Love Horse (Eric Morten, 1973), A Partial Light (Dent, 1975) and Our Ship (Secker & Warburg, 1979).[8]