A lovely man, and a great, great, great poet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13930435

So sad to hear this. I remember being completely starstruck when I went on a college trip for English A Level many years ago and he was one of the poets reading. R.I.P. to an amazing wordsmith. X

Yes, I went to a reading he did not so long ago at Goldsmiths, when District & Circle came out, and when I got to the top of the queue to get my copy signed, I was so starstruck I was completely bereft of words - he said gently, "Aren't you going to ask me a question?"...

I know what you mean. I think he had the most extraordinary gift of combining the ordinary and the awesome into something truly magical. My favourites are 'The Rain Stick' and 'Digging'.

Edited by Jennifer1976 at 19:14:00 on 30 August 2013

I've had the pleasure of covering his death for my newspaper as he lived in the circulation area. There was such a sense of sadness on Monday.

What a great loss for us all - a gracious man and such a beautiful life he lived.

I liked this piece, so genuine, by his friend Andrew O Hagan,

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/02/seamus-heaney-my-travels-with-poet

And a lovely one by Blake Morrison:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/06/seamus-heaney-poet-blake-morrison?CMP=twt_fd