Ode to Lemn Sissay

I’m falling in love with Lemn Sissay.
Lemn Sissay: the poet.
Lemn Sissay: the creatively industrious
pioneer. I’m becoming obsessed
with Lemn Sissay-
Lemn Sissay who
I do not know at all.

I saw him in a magazine
his photograph a smudge
of charcoal black and blue.
And later on (a week or so)
an article about a show
at which he’d been to speak-

And the reviewer said:
“Lemn Sissay
was erudite and well conceived”

And the reviewer said,
that “when he read his poetry
he read it well – with poise and
clarity”.

And I’d never even heard
of Lemn Sissay-
but this morning on the radio
I turn it on and here again
he’s going to read a piece –

Lemn
Sissay
who’s everywhere I go
and who I’ll probably never meet

Lemn
Sissay
with your intellectual weight
and your Calvin Klein like sweep,
with your London based acclaim
and your heady rise to fame
and your way of making
everyone who hears you fall
a little head with feet-

Lemn Sissay if we
ever chance to meet
I think I’ll say I half recall-
but wonder if you’ll
just remind me.

And if you say there’s nothing worse
Than Hero Worship, Fan Based Fic
I’ll act real cool
and smile real sweet
and never read this piece in London
and totally agree.