Matthew Stewart

Thanks, Fiona! Yes, extremely bittersweet and ambivalent!

This is a poem of loss, taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023)...

The emotional significance of objects sends ripples through our lives, which is why this is often my final poem when I give a reading.

It's taken from my second full collection, Whatever You Don't, Just Don't. If you fancy a signed copy, drop me a DM and I'll sort one out for you...

Close editing is an act of creative generosity. Working with the poet, line by line, word by word, takes so much out of editors that they often struggle to sustain their own writing. It's a huge sacrifice!

This is why I'm so grateful to Helena Nelson for her graft with Whatever You Do, Just Don't.

If we don't use our small poetry presses, we'll lose them. This is why I refuse to flinch or shy from asking you to purchase a copy of Whatever You Do, Just Don't, my second full collection.

Here's a sample poem from the book. Just drop me a DM and I'll sort out a signed copy for you...

If you've enjoyed this poem from my second full collection, Whatever You Do, Just Don't, please do consider getting hold of the book itself. Just drop me a DM and I’ll sort out a signed copy for you! No problem to ship to the U.S., U.K., Canada or mainland Europe…

As parents, we're supposed to remember the first time we did stuff with our kids, but the last time is equally as significant, if not more.

This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...

It intrigues, doesn't it?!

The peppers are changing colour here in Extremadura...

The peppers are changing colour here in Extremadura...

Close editing is an act of creative generosity. Working with the poet, line by line, word by word, takes so much out of editors that they often struggle to sustain their own writing. It's a huge sacrifice!

This is why I'm so grateful to Helena Nelson for her graft with Whatever You Do, Just Don't.

A gentle reminder always to tell a poet if you enjoy their work. You'll make their day/week/month/year/decade/life!!!

If you fancy a signed copy of Whatever You Do, Just Don't for a tenner (including P&P), drop me a DM and I'll sort one out for you. Delivery also available to the U.S., Canada and mainland Europe...!

Poetry as a map, poetry as a record of people and their places, poetry as origin, journey and destination.

That's why the dust jacket of Whatever You Do, Just Don't is an old map of Extremadura, where I now live, while the inner cover is a map of Farnham, my home town. My poems are in the middle...

'How to Make a Paper Grenade' began as a series of acts of resistance, and the poetry pamphlet will be published by @vervepoetrypress.bsky.social in Sep.

Pre-orders:
vervepoetrypress.com/product/glyn...

@vervepoetryfest.bsky.social #poetry #ecopoetry

Matthew Stewart’s book ‘Whatever you do, just don’t’.

I wrote about this excellent poetry collection. Here: andyhopkinspoet.wordpress.com/2025/07/31/m....

It was a summer evening after a day of Andalusian sun just like today, all set in the counterpoint of the cool Atlantic Ocean, menories that were captured forever...

Open for submissions

Matthew Stewart’s ‘Whatever you do just don’t’ (Happenstance Press, 2023): Five Reasons to Read. No, not a review. I have no right and no ability to do that. Instead, five reasons to buy it and read it. So… 1: poetry that passes the Rembrandt test. This does. Let me explain. Two things. Bear t…

Did you still need a reason to read Whatever You Do, Just Don't?! Well, here are five excellent ones, provided very generously and with great insight by Andy Hopkins @nightjrrs.bsky.social DM me to grab your signed copy...!

andyhopkinspoet.wordpress.com/2025/07/31/m...

Libraries are transformative. In fact, Farnham Library saved me. Kept me afloat when I was being bullied at South Farnham Middle School in the 1980s.

This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't is my homage to it...

Thanks, Joanne! Glad it connected with you!

Several major poetry journals have recently had to close their submissions windows early, having hit their monthly Submittable limit on the back of a bombardment of poems. This doesn't feel like a good thing for poets or editors...

As if poetry were a competition.

Poetry Ireland Review and London Magazine are two that come to mind, for instance.

"Submission" has pretty grim connotations, doesn't it?!

There's a huge cohort of poets, especially from the U.S., who keep track of every single submission window on Submittable, and who sub anywhere and everywhere, even aiming for a certain number of rejections a year. They blitz these mags as soon as the window opens.

Several major poetry journals have recently had to close their submissions windows early, having hit their monthly Submittable limit on the back of a bombardment of poems. This doesn't feel like a good thing for poets or editors...

When a reader devotes so much time, effort and insight to engaging with your book, you can only be hugely grateful...

When a reader devotes so much time, effort and insight to engaging with your book, you can only be hugely grateful...

Thanks so much for this, Andy. A really generous post.