Swimmer by Matt Black


Excellent value for money is not a phrase often associated with books of poetry. But with 65 poems in total, with a high awpp (average number of words per poem), along with a very high lpp (laughs per poem) ratio, nice presentation with illustrations AND a free CD, £4.99 is a bargain price for this fine collection.


You could open the book at just about any page and find a poem that will impress and entertain, without any single poem being a phenomenal stand-out. Matt Black’s clever, yet quaint and naïve style affirms that he is a man quite content with life, and enjoys the challenge of putting words together. In the first section of four (my favourite section), the sunshine is “frisky” and in a list of things counted, the times he has fallen in love “= less than haircuts enjoyed, more than suits bought.”


thing is the fairly drab cover, belying the fact that most of these poems are very bright and cheery. NICK FISK


The Ai cd Ra y Jhn E n el b o vas


John Evans is one of the nicest people in the literary world, and so coupled with the fact that he is very popular in his home town of Pontypridd, it was perhaps no surprise that he received enough public votes for him to be placed at No.27 in a list of Top 100 Welsh People poll in 2008. He gets involved in things, but without bringing a lot of attention to himself.


This is a very attractive book, with a cover that would make a good record sleeve – perhaps harking back to when he was in a punk band – and some very nice pen drawings throughout. I wonder if John had been listening at a gig he was a part of when I made the suggestion that more poetry books should be illustrated to make them stand out? Along with that, I recently went to a launch of a film to accompany this book. The film, without being exceptional – the low res quality of the footage let it down slightly – was a nice addition to the whole package.


Instead of being about the gritty reality of Valleys life, as you might expect, this book is a reminder that poetry is sometimes about birds and flowers! It is mostly written in a stream of consciousness style, almost like it is one long poem. The consistency of style holds it together, and by the end, it’s as if you’ve taken a short trip around quite a large stripped-down landscape. I mostly read this huddled indoors on one wet November evening, and it has a cosy feel about it, making you wish you were outside walking somewhere.


31


A book suitable for both children and adults, which you would happily return to. The only disappointing 8/10


£4.99, Upside Down Books


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