Matthew Stewart
@roguestrands.bsky.social
Weaving ways through poetry. Second full collection, ‘Whatever You Do, Just Don’t’, a Poetry Society Book of the Year 2023, available from HappenStance Press.
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Matthew Stewart
@roguestrands.bsky.social
· Dec 15
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far prefer to be accompanied in the meantime...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
The book knows...
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far...
roguestrands.blogspot.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:18 PM
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far prefer to be accompanied in the meantime...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far prefer to be accompanied in the meantime...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
The book knows...
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far...
roguestrands.blogspot.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:18 PM
The book knows that, just like humans, it's destined to be born and die alone. But it also knows (again, just like humans) that it would far prefer to be accompanied in the meantime...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
roguestrands.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Time to snuggle up with a book! Poetry as comfort food for the heart to sustain us through January...!
January 5, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Time to snuggle up with a book! Poetry as comfort food for the heart to sustain us through January...!
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
This is a poem of loss, taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023)...
February 5, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This is a poem of loss, taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023)...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Copy by copy, every hard-earned sale of a poetry collection is an act of trust, a contract between the poet and the reader that reaches far beyond cash. This is why I refuse to shy away from reminding you about Whatever You Do, Just Don't.
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
August 20, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Copy by copy, every hard-earned sale of a poetry collection is an act of trust, a contract between the poet and the reader that reaches far beyond cash. This is why I refuse to shy away from reminding you about Whatever You Do, Just Don't.
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
An only child, I often feel I write as an act of commemoration and remembrance, as an attempt to stop the memories of my family from escaping, given that I have no close relatives left to remind me of them...
Certain numbers accompany us through our lives, connected to our memories of people and places, of significant events. What numbers remain with you decades later? And why?
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
November 21, 2025 at 7:39 PM
An only child, I often feel I write as an act of commemoration and remembrance, as an attempt to stop the memories of my family from escaping, given that I have no close relatives left to remind me of them...
Time to snuggle up with a book! Poetry as comfort food for the heart to sustain us through January...!
January 5, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Time to snuggle up with a book! Poetry as comfort food for the heart to sustain us through January...!
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Looks like I've got another trip to the post office tomorrow morning. Anyone up for making it even more worthwhile...?! 😜
January 4, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Looks like I've got another trip to the post office tomorrow morning. Anyone up for making it even more worthwhile...?! 😜
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
December 15, 2024 at 11:24 AM
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
Looks like I've got another trip to the post office tomorrow morning. Anyone up for making it even more worthwhile...?! 😜
January 4, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Looks like I've got another trip to the post office tomorrow morning. Anyone up for making it even more worthwhile...?! 😜
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
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...
Here's a sample poem from the book. Just drop me a DM and I'll sort out a signed copy for you...
February 2, 2025 at 12:03 PM
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...
Here's a sample poem from the book. Just drop me a DM and I'll sort out a signed copy for you...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Poetry as an anchor for the poet. To places. To moments. To people.
Poetry that then implicitly reveals ia reader's anchors. That casts those anchors in a different imaginative light. That layers them with fresh nuances. That renews them in the reader's heart and mind.
Poetry that then implicitly reveals ia reader's anchors. That casts those anchors in a different imaginative light. That layers them with fresh nuances. That renews them in the reader's heart and mind.
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
November 16, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Poetry as an anchor for the poet. To places. To moments. To people.
Poetry that then implicitly reveals ia reader's anchors. That casts those anchors in a different imaginative light. That layers them with fresh nuances. That renews them in the reader's heart and mind.
Poetry that then implicitly reveals ia reader's anchors. That casts those anchors in a different imaginative light. That layers them with fresh nuances. That renews them in the reader's heart and mind.
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
If you're up for a copy, just drop me a DM and I'll sort one out for you (U.K., Ireland, mainland Europe, Canada and Oceania)...
November 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
If you're up for a copy, just drop me a DM and I'll sort one out for you (U.K., Ireland, mainland Europe, Canada and Oceania)...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Certain numbers accompany us through our lives, connected to our memories of people and places, of significant events. What numbers remain with you decades later? And why?
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
September 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Certain numbers accompany us through our lives, connected to our memories of people and places, of significant events. What numbers remain with you decades later? And why?
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
This poem is taken from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
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...
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't is my homage to it...
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...
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...
July 20, 2025 at 8:31 PM
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...
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't is my homage to it...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
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...
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...
July 20, 2025 at 7:02 PM
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...
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...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
This is wonderful.
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
January 2, 2026 at 9:03 PM
This is wonderful.
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
What's it like to return to your home town years after leaving?
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't finds that nothing's changed. But then everything's changed too...
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't finds that nothing's changed. But then everything's changed too...
November 2, 2025 at 11:13 AM
What's it like to return to your home town years after leaving?
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't finds that nothing's changed. But then everything's changed too...
This poem from Whatever You Do, Just Don't finds that nothing's changed. But then everything's changed too...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
I'm posting two more copies to readers tomorrow...!
Copy by copy, every hard-earned sale of a poetry collection is an act of trust, a contract between the poet and the reader that reaches far beyond cash. This is why I refuse to shy away from reminding you about Whatever You Do, Just Don't.
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
January 1, 2026 at 9:08 PM
I'm posting two more copies to readers tomorrow...!
I'm posting two more copies to readers tomorrow...!
Copy by copy, every hard-earned sale of a poetry collection is an act of trust, a contract between the poet and the reader that reaches far beyond cash. This is why I refuse to shy away from reminding you about Whatever You Do, Just Don't.
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
Drop me a DM and I'll sort out your signed copy for you...
January 1, 2026 at 9:08 PM
I'm posting two more copies to readers tomorrow...!
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Poets, if they're lucky, end up having signature poems. But they don't choose them for themselves.
Instead, certain poems take on lives of their own once they're published. The Last Carry is one such example. When I first posted it here, I didn't have a clue it would reach so many people...
Instead, certain poems take on lives of their own once they're published. The Last Carry is one such example. When I first posted it here, I didn't have a clue it would reach so many people...
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...
This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...
September 27, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Poets, if they're lucky, end up having signature poems. But they don't choose them for themselves.
Instead, certain poems take on lives of their own once they're published. The Last Carry is one such example. When I first posted it here, I didn't have a clue it would reach so many people...
Instead, certain poems take on lives of their own once they're published. The Last Carry is one such example. When I first posted it here, I didn't have a clue it would reach so many people...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
themadridreview.com/submissions Happy New Year! Feliz Año Nuevo! #Happynewyear #poetry #submit #submissions
January 1, 2026 at 5:12 AM
themadridreview.com/submissions Happy New Year! Feliz Año Nuevo! #Happynewyear #poetry #submit #submissions
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
Here's a video of me reading The Last Carry, now up on my YouTube channel...
youtube.com/shorts/W3oTH...
youtube.com/shorts/W3oTH...
November 25, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Here's a video of me reading The Last Carry, now up on my YouTube channel...
youtube.com/shorts/W3oTH...
youtube.com/shorts/W3oTH...
Reposted by Matthew Stewart
I only want a single pair of hands to stretch my spine and open me at last...
September 21, 2025 at 11:07 AM
I only want a single pair of hands to stretch my spine and open me at last...