Couple of events  happened on my way to get the head cut. I saw writer and broadcaster  Michael Rosen walking down the streets of  Hackney. We  stood on the corner for ten minutes  and talked poetry. I probably bored him sheetless but hey,  I am a fan and always have been. For me he is up there with Linton Kwesi Johnson in terms of his poetry integrity and life force.   In fact we are doing an event  at The Marxism today conference. It's in my listings on july 8th. I forgot to congratulate him on his Desert Island Discs. Just look at his magnificent choice of music on the programme.   After having my head cut I went to the cafe for coffee sandwich and newspaper. While sat reading a man at the counter stared at me  “I hope you odn't mind he said but are you Lemn Sissay”.  I replied in the positive and he said “I bet you don't know who I am”.  And for some reason I did, not his name but the place.

About fourteen years ago I taught a course for a week at Arvon in Lumb Bank with Sarah Maguire. It had such a long lasting effect on him that he remembered it to this day. I remember the course too – some you do. It was one week out of his whole life.   I was really proud that he remembered. He told me that the same students still talk about it in there adult life and told me that his dad used to have a barbers around the corner and he had a picture on the wall there of himself taken on that same course.  It just made me proud. Teaching is just the best. You can never teach someone to write but you can help direct.  Just makes me proud to have made a difference in someones life. 

The man who cuts my head is called  millionaire. The hair dressers is like the ghanain community centre. It's great On the television was the bob marley tribute concert. Doesn't get better really.  That's his name – millionaire. Fortunately the cut is a mere seven pounds.