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Got my preview copy of Seamus Heaney's new poetry collection "Human Chain". Louisa, my producer, handed it to me this morning and, I'm not ashamed to admit this, I shouted for joy. Not good in an open plan office and probably notÌýgood forÌýcolleagues who might not share my devotion to the Nobel Laureate. Louisa then burst my bubble of joy by telling me her mum isn't that impressed by his poems.

And, yes, I do understand that some people can and do think what is all the hype about a new poetry collection?

But I've been waiting for this copy of over a year now. Hints of his new poems have teasedÌýme over the past 12 months, in interviews and magazines. He read two to me in a memorable moment in Bellaghy last year when the statue to him was unveiled.

Now I've only flicked through it,Ìýto get a sense of it, stealingÌýtime between scripting tonight's "Arts Extra"Ìýand going out and buying the dinner!

So no academic overview or thesis here. It's just great to have new work from him, epecially when the subject matter of several of the poems deal with his stroke in Donegal. It could have had a much darker outcome. So that's why I let out a shout of joy earlier holding my copy of "Human Chain" at last.

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