James Franco isn't just any old Hollywood actor. He's also a short story writer, novelist, journalist, painter and – in his latest guise – a poet.

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The 36-year-old star of Spring Breakers and Pineapple Express has released his debut collection titled Directing Herbert White – a body of work that, in Franco's words, is "trying to say something in addition to what's on the surface." Right then.

Franco's rumoured fling Lindsay Lohan (who he denies ever having been involved with) gets a mention – written in her own "voice", no less...

"Fame raped me.
And I raped it, if you know what I'm saying."

As does Franco's deceased contemporary Heath Ledger:

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Subtle stuff, that. But Franco isn't the only celeb to turn his hand to poetry. Here – with limited degrees of success – is what happened when his fellow A-listers put pen to paper.

TV's notorious bad boy Charlie Sheen doesn't exactly "win" when it comes to writing verse.

Someone needs to buy Jennifer Aniston a Thesaurus for Christmas.

Maybe she could borrow Kristen Stewart's...?

Daniel Radcliffe – one time portrayer of Allen Ginsberg – goes one better and rhymes...

Sean Penn certainly didn't mince his words when he picked up his pen.

Don't worry, says Kate Moss. It's what's underneath that matters.

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And last – but by no means least – Pamela Anderson, who put pen to paper in commemoration of her 13th Playboy cover. Because striking a seductive pose is inspiring, ok?

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