Meet Matthew M. C. Smith, a poet whose work captures the essence of his evolving journey through life, from the vastness of the cosmos to the intimate reflections of fatherhood and identity. His poetry, acclaimed for its emotional depth, authenticity, and introspective themes, reflects a profound engagement with both the external world and his internal experiences.
Matthew’s journey into poetry began seriously at the age of 39, and his work has evolved significantly over the years. Initially focusing on impersonal themes of deep time, nature, and the cosmos, his poetry gradually became more personal, reflecting on state of mind and identity. As Matthew explains, “My poetry has gradually evolved from impersonal poems expressing a sense of awe at deep time, nature, and the vastness of the cosmos to more personal pieces reflecting on state of mind and identity. I write a lot about fatherhood. All of these themes are woven in and out of my poems and prose.”
The heritage of his surroundings and experimentation with form and subject are central to Matthew’s work. “Where I live and its heritage is hugely important to me. I try to experiment in form and subject all the time. A central focus for me is language and playing around with sound and rhythm for impact. I want to sensitise or resensitise people through my writing, make readers and listeners provoked in some way and to have a deep impact on some of them.”
Matthew’s writing process is fluid and intuitive, allowing emotions and experiences to shape his work. “I can be anywhere, doing anything, and feelings will come to me, surfacing slowly and words form. My mind plays around with, develops lines and further ideas. I tend to write on my phone and add and edit many times over. Seeing poems take shape on a computer is a vital step as seeing them in black and white makes me super focused and ruthless. I will edit many times and always try to push myself to be inventive, to avoid commonplace expression.”
Inspiration for Matthew comes from a broad range of sources, deeply rooted in his emotional state and sensory experiences. “The well of inspiration is my emotional state and as I grow older I realise how deep and unknowable those fathoms are. When my emotional state becomes inflamed or overspills I head for writing. Music, writing, art, situations, sensory experiences—all of these shape what I write—the result can be surprisingly emotional.”
Matthew finds that his ideal writing settings vary, from the tranquility of the Gower coast to the bustling energy of a crowded room. “I can write anywhere—it’s more about mind state than being in a particular place. The coast of Gower is a good place to inspire writing and quiet, tranquil places but often my writing can emerge from thoughts in a crowded room, a traffic jam, or a noisy street. My ideal setting would be writing on a balcony looking at a Spanish sunset with the sea in the distance and mountains all around me.”
Throughout his writing journey, Matthew has found that personal, confessional poems often resonate deeply with readers. “Great question. My poetry used to be impersonal—I was attracted to that because of modernist writing, particularly Eliot. But during my writing journey, I realised that personal, confessional poems are often powerful for others and revelatory for the self. Readers, I think, tend to relate more to personal poems about mental well-being and identity and some of my poems about fatherhood or being a son have really connected with readers. When I wrote Sometimes, a man could cry (published by Ink, Sweat and Tears), this was a poem of opening up about not always being right and showing personal vulnerability.”
Matthew M. C. Smith’s poetry invites readers into his world, offering glimpses of his experiences and the human condition. His work stands as a testament to the power of authentic expression and the importance of embracing one’s true self.
‘You came in flashbulb lightning’
Matthew M. C. Smith, The Darkroom
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