Lemn Sissay: Inspire and be Inspired

[purplecat]

Lemn Sissay is a Manchester poet, possibly best known for writing poems on the walls of pubs, included the beleagured pub on the corner near us. B. did not support his bid to become Chancellor of the University, opting for someone more scientific and straightforwardly academic. However our neighbours (the Manchester Museum and Art Gallery Mafia) supported his successful bid and we've seen him several times since and can't fault his ability to say the right thing at the right occasion. This video he made for the university is a case in point.

"Inspire and be Inspired - A poem from Lemn Sissay" (Watch on YouTube)

EDIT: Actually "right thing at the right occasion" sounds rather false. It's his ability to eloquently express something that an event or organisation is, ideally, striving towards that is impressive.

Comments

[fredbassett]

Better than electing Mandelson! That bloody man should have gone to prison for mortgagee fraud.

[purplecat]

My impression is that Sissay genuinely cares about both Manchester and Manchester University and a gifted poet with those attributes is not to be sneezed at.

[fredbassett]

Indeed. And he seems honest, which is more than Mandelson is.

Bristol is electing a new Chancellor this year as well. Brenda Hale is going to be a bloody hard act to follow.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't know that. (I live in Bristol, but I am not connected with the university at all).

[fredbassett]

Brenda's been chancellor for about 14 years and she's been excellent.

Whereabouts in Bristol are you? I'm just on the border between Southmead and Westbury on Trym.