Bravo for trying something different, Matthew! And to all the brave souls who submitted their work; poetry is the most terrifying thing to write (IMHO)!
I absolutely love that there was no gatekeeping on this anthology. It speaks to Matthew’s generous heart and his desire that everyone be seen. If we don’t have the courage to write poems, poetry doesn’t get any better. We all have something to say, and we need to just write. Poetry, like any art, takes practice. Read the poems you love. Write the poems you want to read. When I got the proof, I saw that many of these poems were written by dear friends I have met on Substack.
I was honored that Matthew asked for my help in organizing the anthology, but this is really his labor of love.
Thanks, Kate. It was a lot of fun to read all the submissions and put them together for people to read. I have been scared of poetry for most of my life, but I am working hard to overcome that.
Matthew! Thank you so much for this wonderful gift! I'm so pleased to have my poems included among so many talented poets, and never expected anything like this. I'm incredibly grateful, and I look forward to reading all the poetry, and to sharing it with people I love. Hugs from Switzerland! Francesca
Francesca, thank you for having the courage to put yourself out there for the world! I hope you enjoy the contributions of all the other poets as well.
I have already had flick through and recognise some lovely people I've met on Substack, and I look forward to reading the whole book later. This corresponds with launch week of my own poetry book, Illicit Croissants at Dawn, which will be available in a few days. Thanks again, Matthew, for putting in the hard work. I know the time it entails!
This is a great project, and I'm looking forward to reading it all. I am especially chuffed (an English word meaning dead pleased) because one of my students is featured :-)
Thanks for putting this together and including me, Matthew! It makes my heart happy to see poetry celebrated. I can’t wait to read everyone else’s work.
Good morning Matthew ~ what a delight to wake up to this in my Inbox. I've downloaded the PDF and want to sit here all day long and read, but alas other tasks await.
Zina's Foreword was so kind and offered a happy glimpse into this project--what a wonderful gathering! Thank you for including me, I am honored.
Thank you Matthew- there are so many beautiful poems in here. I really appreciate that you included me, as terrifying as it was to hit send on the email to you. For some reason it feels much harder to have my words seen vs. my art or photography. Baby steps. Thank you for all the work you put into this and for sending it out into the world. We could all use a little more poetry these days…
Bravo for trying something different, Matthew! And to all the brave souls who submitted their work; poetry is the most terrifying thing to write (IMHO)!
I absolutely love that there was no gatekeeping on this anthology. It speaks to Matthew’s generous heart and his desire that everyone be seen. If we don’t have the courage to write poems, poetry doesn’t get any better. We all have something to say, and we need to just write. Poetry, like any art, takes practice. Read the poems you love. Write the poems you want to read. When I got the proof, I saw that many of these poems were written by dear friends I have met on Substack.
I was honored that Matthew asked for my help in organizing the anthology, but this is really his labor of love.
💕
Thanks, Kate. It was a lot of fun to read all the submissions and put them together for people to read. I have been scared of poetry for most of my life, but I am working hard to overcome that.
What a fantastic mid poetry month gift! Thank you Matthew!
Thanks Emily. I had so much fun putting this together. I hope you enjoy.
What a great way to celebrate poetry and these writers!
Thanks Brandon! I think this project fits my blueprint perfectly.
❤️
Matthew! Thank you so much for this wonderful gift! I'm so pleased to have my poems included among so many talented poets, and never expected anything like this. I'm incredibly grateful, and I look forward to reading all the poetry, and to sharing it with people I love. Hugs from Switzerland! Francesca
Francesca, thank you for having the courage to put yourself out there for the world! I hope you enjoy the contributions of all the other poets as well.
I have already had flick through and recognise some lovely people I've met on Substack, and I look forward to reading the whole book later. This corresponds with launch week of my own poetry book, Illicit Croissants at Dawn, which will be available in a few days. Thanks again, Matthew, for putting in the hard work. I know the time it entails!
Thank you for this, Matthew! I appreciate you featuring my poems 🙏🏼🩵
This is a great project, and I'm looking forward to reading it all. I am especially chuffed (an English word meaning dead pleased) because one of my students is featured :-)
Thanks for putting this together and including me, Matthew! It makes my heart happy to see poetry celebrated. I can’t wait to read everyone else’s work.
An inspired and inspiring project that could only flower on Substack. And you’re offering this gift for free. Kudos to you and Zina.
Good morning Matthew ~ what a delight to wake up to this in my Inbox. I've downloaded the PDF and want to sit here all day long and read, but alas other tasks await.
Zina's Foreword was so kind and offered a happy glimpse into this project--what a wonderful gathering! Thank you for including me, I am honored.
Many thanks for including me in the collection. It’s an honor to be included with so many talented and inspiring writers and poets.
This is such a wonderful collection Matthew! Congratulations to all the fine poets included!
Thank you Matthew- there are so many beautiful poems in here. I really appreciate that you included me, as terrifying as it was to hit send on the email to you. For some reason it feels much harder to have my words seen vs. my art or photography. Baby steps. Thank you for all the work you put into this and for sending it out into the world. We could all use a little more poetry these days…
I truly feel so honored to be included with such clearly, lovely humans. And to Matthew, what an awe-inspiring thing you've done. Thank you.
What a gift! Thank you, Matthew.
What a gorgeous photo for the cover! Thank you.
Heartfelt thanks. What a marvelous compendium.