Possible Clues:

• Was he any sort of poet at all?
• Poet of considerable standing?
• Academic with considerable stature as a poet
• Poet, for a considerable time, member of society
• Poet extended chap
• Hiawatha poet
• Associate at a store's Big & Tall depertment?
• Henry Wadsworth --, 1807-82, US poet
• Poet's line about good companion
• Poet — companion at a stretch?