Ten pounds gets you a signed copy of The Knives of Villalejo with free p&p!
Endorsement for The Knives of Villalejo
"Matthew Stewart is a poet of consolidation, truth, and freshness, with a mastertful sense of economy. His poems matter, and his first collection has been too long in coming. These poems have the rare quality of resonating a long way beyond their modest physical limits."
I live between Extremadura, Spain, and West Sussex, England. Full collection, The Knives of Villalejo, with Eyewear Publishing. Two pamphlets, both now sold out, with HappenStance Press. You can get in touch with me via e-mail: matthstew@gmail.com.
It's taken me over 20 years to catch up with this. Here are extracts from
the front matter -
*From the Preface by Simic* - Until thirty years ago, one co...
I took care, when I waded into the lake this morning along the side of the
rowing boat, to note where I’d got in. It’s skirted with pines and I could
ima...
The thing about the Greek Anthology; it is universal in a way so much
poetry aspires to be. It deals with universal human concerns, which is why
it lend...
First post of 2025...!
It's been a while since I've sent poems out into the world though I've been
writing away in the background. Anyway, I'm pleased t...
Oof! It’s a unusually busy summer this year. Family visits, a big trip
away, stuff on my to-do list such as a book review for The Frogmore Papers
and a not...
And so, there I was, sitting in a green chair, reading poetry to our new
pigs. (Ten-week-old Middle Whites, an endangered breed). They wandered
about in th...
Rosie Garland doesn’t fight in the brief sprint of a bout in a boxing ring,
this is an enduring, life-long fight that requires the stamina and
discipline o...
Festschrift Penelope Shuttle I’m looking for writers who have something to
say about the work of Penelope Shuttle. What has been her influence on your
work...
Shield of Mnemosyne, Henry Gould, 2025, ISBN: 9781300266181, £4.63 Where
all Ladders Start, Maeve O’Sullivan, Alba Publishing, 2024, ISBN:
9781912773671, €...
It’s an enormous pleasure to introduce this month’s guest poet Pam
Thompson. Pam and I met 13 years ago on an extended writing course. You can
find her bio...
Pick’n’mix: choose – from any of the books in the photo or on the website –
six for £50, ten for £75: see the Season Tickets on the home page of the
webs...
We’ve been away for a holiday – and a good rest after a turbulent time in
the last eighteen months, and on our way home, I achieved a life-goal (as
my youn...
I’ve written about Rod Whitworth on this blog before, here. Rod is a very
fine poet and one of my fellow members of the fortnightly workshopping
group, the...
One of the things I enjoy about writing these reviews is opening a
collection or pamphlet of a poet whose work I don’t know and finding that
I’m immediatel...
A very quick post to draw your attention to the wonderful news that Abeer
Ameer, a guest reader for Trowbridge Stanza last year, is shortlisted in
this yea...
An edited (shorter) version of this review first appeared in Poetry
Salzberg Review in June 2025. Many thanks to the editor, Wolfgang
Görtschacher, for com...
My work out of office remains absolutely nailed in place for about another
22 hours (at time of typing), but my holiday is over. I’ve just started
’singing...
I've a new essay over at the *North Sea Poets* substack, addressing the
decline of reviewing culture, the rise of the poetry prizes, artistic
standards a...
The lovely irony of drinking ‘Seattle’s best coffee’ in a Yorkshire market
town’s supermarket cafe! Not quite a free thing to do, but pretty cheap,
inspire...
Michael Vince’s generous, intelligently reflective Legwork impressed me
deeply. It’s a book that repays careful reading and rereading. I’ll try to
say why ...
The subjects of S.J. Litherland’s new book are mainly her familiar ones: a
Warwickshire childhood with a harsh father and memories of WW2, her adopted
Durh...
My husband and I recently visited David Austin Roses in Shropshire. It set
me thinking about why I love roses: the scent, the sweet-shop colours and
the si...
In early spring a book arrived that I had been eagerly anticipating. Atomic
Masquerade by Clara Etherin did not disappoint. Witty, exuberant, layered
and i...
Mini anthology: 'Exhibition Cards for Imaginary Paintings' - see here
These stylish Little Black Books arrived in the post today as my
contributor c...
Little SongFirst year: words left, like Gods returning to the underworld.In
the second, I lived as if I we both were dead.The words returned around
year th...
My poetry pen has to be set aside for a while after a book comes out, or
allowed to rest under whatever I’m reading, listening to, looking at. This
happens...
My poetry pen has to be set aside for a while after a book comes out, or
allowed to rest under whatever I’m reading, listening to, looking at. This
happens...
Today is National Poetry Day in the UK, and this year's theme is 'Refuge'.
On a global scale, the world is experiencing the highest levels of
displaceme...
John’s family would like to notify you all of the funeral service which is
being held to celebrate his life.This will be held at 10.00 on Friday 14th
July,...
Generally Speaking (about Bookshops) Although there is undoubtedly a few
collections of poetry that are criminally bad, you wouldn’t head to the
crime se...
The concept of poetic ecological collapse has been widely discussed, and so
I add here only a few additional notes of personal reflection. Readers will
kno...
It’s been a while since I did once of these, but maybe there’s something
here to tempt you. Christmas is just around the corner… If you’re
interested in an...
I thought I'd posted this a couple of weeks back, and realise now that I
didn't, but better late than never – this is an excellent tribute to the
poet Ma...
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