The Perfect 'CiF' Column?

Because it really has everything. Jackie Kay (poet) outlines her heroes, as part of the Guardian's 'Heroes and Villains of 2010' series:

I went to do a reading in Holloway women's prison the other day.

*fetches popcorn*

When I found myself waiting at a bus stop on the wrong side of the road afterwards, I knew the prisoners had made a profound impact.

Blimey! Did she get a bang on the head?

Weirdly, I felt I'd been through some massive therapy session; they were the most perceptive and participatory audience I've ever had.

Well, they couldn't exactly leave if they didn't like it, could they?

In the prison's library, I read from my memoir about tracing my birth parents. The women were mostly black and Asian. One pretty woman said to me quietly: "Why you not angry with your father, why not expose the man?" Another one replied, as if for me: "Because she doesn't want to feel bitterness in her heart," while a third shouted: "Revenge the muthafucka!"

Prison is clearly working for them...

"Can you bring us a love poem if you come again?" someone said. "Yes," I said, as the prison librarian unlocked, locked, unlocked, locked doors and doors and doors between the library and the exit. I'd forgotten my pass so I wasn't allowed out. One of the prisoners in the library could use it to escape, the librarian told me. So somebody was sent back to the library to hunt for my visitor's pass, and eventually I was let out into the nippy November air…

Pity they found it, really...

I've picked the women at Holloway prison as my heroes of the year because of their empathy: their understanding of the way lives can revolve around rejection, revenge and redemption when what we really want is love.

See what I mean? Just perfect...

No wonder when I first clicked onto this column, a little message read:

• This article will be opened to comments at 9am

Clearly, the mods had to have time to gird their loins for this one....