'social relevance for poetry'

The Australian poet Michael Thwaites, who died at the age of 90 in 2005, worked for Australia's security intelligence organisation (ASIO) for twenty years.  After his WWII naval service he lectured for three years at Melbourne University and then received a recruitment call from ASIO's director-general Charles Spry:
"You write poetry, I know. Much of the job will just be hard methodical work but imagination is also needed. I believe you could make a valuable contribution."
   

http://michael.thwaites.com.au/

digital.slv.vic.gov.au/dtl_publish/pdf/marc/23/1011391.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/nov/18/guardianobituaries.australia