As tributes continue to pour in after the death of Leonard Nimoy – Star Trek’s Mr Spock – it has come as a surprise to at least some of his admirers that the actor, director and photographer was a prolific poet, too. Nimoy, who has died aged 83 of pulmonary disease at his home in Los Angeles, published seven collections of poetry. There is more than one website dedicated to his poetry on the internet, complete with examples of his work. Some of his poems are brief, such as this one: “A silence with you / Is not / a silence / But a moment rich / with peace.”

A reviewer of one of his collections, A Lifetime of Love: Poems on the Passage of Life, on Amazon said: “Nimoy is a gifted intellect with a wide range of interests. These poems reflect upon his lifelong experiences and understanding that love is the soothing balm in anyone's life. They uplift the already joyful heart and treat the broken one with gentle care and understanding. These are not great poetry, however. Rather they are impressions from a kind soul who has been grateful for a long, interesting and appreciated life. Would be that we could all reach this stage of grace and look back with such a smile.” 

In messages to fans in his last months, Nimoy used his Twitter feed to send instructive missives, often including some of his poetry, and always signing off with LLAP (“Live long and prosper”) – Mr Spock’s legendary phrase on Star Trek.