Hello Again, Poetry World!
It’s lovely to be back!
It’s been so long since I’ve posted with any regularity that this post feels like a rebirth for No Water River and for me as a blogger. And in a way, it is! Did you notice the place has a new look? NWR needed a change, and I wanted a cleaner, lighter face as we go into a new year. I’m still working on the transition, so please excuse the packing peanuts and nekkid mannequins while I get everything together. Oh, and the Poetry Video Library won’t be available until the transition is final, but rest assured it will be back and growing larger very soon!
One of the reasons I stopped my regular programming is that the NCTE Spotlight Series took a lot out of me. Each post entailed a lengthy interview with Lee, hours/days of video editing (we goofed a lot and went on way too many tangents), hours of research, hours of graphics production, and hours of writing. And we did nineteen of these! While I loved working on the series with Lee, I’m also happy that it’s finished for now and that I can once again focus on bringing you new poetry videos by all sorts of poets, as well as a few of my own.
And in that spirit … on with today’s guest, coming to us all the way from England…
Matt Goodfellow!
I was first introduced to Matt and his poetry when I did a Poet-a-Palooza post for the anthology Dear Tomato back in 2015. I became an instant fan and stalked Matt to Facebook, where I am regaled with the delightful “small poems” Matt posts on his page almost daily.
And just over a year later, I learned that Matt’s debut collection had been published!
Besides being a poet, Matt is also an educator and performer who is clearly warm, witty, and just plain simpatico. Take a gander for yourself with this video, where he shares two humorous poems from his collection!
Here are the poems for your reading pleasure.
Although Matt’s light poetry is fun and clever, I am partial to his quieter work because of the many language treasures I find there. So I thought I’d share a few of my favorites from CARRY ME AWAY, starting with this stealthy cat in the moody “Mystery”…
…followed by this delicious little portrait of the artist as a young hare. 
This next one elicited both a GAH! and an AW! Ah, puppy love!
And finally, I’ll end with the opening poem in the book, one that embodies the concept of being carried away by imagination.
I hope you all frolic in the shimmer-spray today!
Thanks for sharing your poems with us, Matt!
P.S. Matt also has two new books coming out in the beginning of 2018, so be sure to look ’em up. There are chickens!
Find out more about Matt, his workshops, and his books at: http://www.mattgoodfellow.yolasite.com/
Now go get carried away over at Steps and Staircases where Lisa is hosting Poetry Friday.
See more poems in my poetry video library.
All poems © Matt Goodfellow. All rights reserved.
Illustrations © Sue Hardy-Dawson. All rights reserved.
Post content © 2017 Renée M. LaTulippe. All rights reserved.
Oh! I love all of these – and I especially loved listening to att! Thanks for introducing me to his work.
His collection has a really nice range of poems, Sally!
Welcome Back, Renee. Love the new digs. 🙂
Thoroughly enjoyed Matt’s poems (I could listen to his accent all day long)! I was also introduced to his work when I featured his Dear Tomato poem at AS. Happy to see his debut collection is out.
I know what you mean about the accent, Jama! 😀
I’ve long admired Matt’s talent, so congrats to him on the book! Thanks for sharing the news, Renee…and the revised site looks very nice!
Renee! First of all – So happy you’re back! <3 Secondly, this book looks like a little bit of magic. Thank you for sharing it with us!
I smiled when I saw you in my inbox, and I smiled double listening to Matt! What a lovely way to have a mid-day break! And your site looks great!
Oh wow! These poems are just delicious. I’m so glad you shared them.
Wonderful poems–that hare poem gives me that boy-do-I-wish-I’d-written-that feeling. And I like your new blog look, Renee. Looking forward to reading more posts!
Yes it was a wonderful book to illustrait too.
Oooh that “poetry by moonlight hare” is spine-tingly. I appreciate the intro in video & the excerpts to a powerhouse poet new to me.
You’ve crafted a quite special way to be linked to P.F. today. But with your nourishing interviews & other visits here & there, you were with us. The flowers sprouting tiny hearts & flowing dark lines are beautiful.
Looking forward to what your time to write, produces down the lane. Brava! Renee.
Each poem had such a strong and distinctive voice. Thanks for sharing Matt’s gifts with us, today, Renee!
Thank you, Renée, for featuring Matt. He had a poem appear in both of my two anthologies. During a trip to England in 2012 for the Manchester Children’s Book Festival, I had the pleasure of meeting him, He is a great chap and a tremendously talented poet.I am glad to know him and count him as a friend.
All varied and all delightful, Renee and Matt. Thanks for the introduction, will find those collections! I love the (beginning) of your new look, too. And I’m glad you’re back!
Delightful and spunky poetry by Matt thanks for all the poems and video too!The illustrations are enchanting, they have me carried away.
Lovely light feeling to your new blog face, I look forward to reading more of your posts, thanks Renée!
Thank you for sharing Matt’s poems. I especially love “The New Girl.” I want to read more!
Wonderful poems. I love the queue itch, it’s a stitch. 🙂 I like the light, new look. Very you. I like his quiet poems, too, as well as his accent on the vid.
Thank you for sharing Matt’s work and the video of him reading two of his poems. Good sense of humor!
Good to ‘see’ you back, Renée! I love your blogs fresh new look. And thank you for the introduction to Matt Goodfellow’s poetry. Lovely. =)
Welcome back! Love the blog re-design, and thanks for the introduction to Matt Goodfellow!
Thanks for sharing Matt’s poems, Renée. He does have a wonderful range, doesn’t he? Like you, I especially love the softer, quieter poems. I find myself rereading them again and again to see if I can put my finger on the magic. So great to have you back! xo