Writer and broadcaster Clive James was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2011 and wrote a poem earlier this year predicting he would be dead by autumn. The former TV personality recently declared that he is "embarrassed" that he is still alive.
Mark Colvin of the ABC radio channel reminded his fellow Australian that it was now autumn in Cambridge, England where James lives. “You’ve raised a very awkward point – I may have put myself in an embarrassing position here,” the writer replied.
In the poem, Japanese Maple, the Australian wit revealed that he wanted to live until the maple tree’s leaves turned to flame.
“Because I write a poem more or less promising to croak when autumn comes and the leaves turn to fire, and autumn has come and the leaves have turned to fire and I’m talking to you, I haven’t croaked at all, you see the problem.”
Aside from leukaemia, James is also battling a serious lung condition.
