Matt Simpson
Encyclopedia
Matt Simpson was a British
poet
and literary critic. He published six full poetry collections, and after retiring from a senior lectureship in English at Liverpool Hope University
, wrote numerous books of literary criticism until his death in 2009.
Simpson was born in Bootle
, Merseyside
to a working class family with a long sea-faring tradition, and educated at Bootle Grammar School
. In 1955 he won a place at Cambridge where he read English. For some years after graduating he taught English to overseas students in Cambridge where he met his German wife, Monika Weydert, and where his two children were born. In 1964 he returned to Liverpool
. During 1994 he was poet-in-residence for six months in Tasmania
, and in 1996 a festschrift edited by Angela Topping
was put together to celebrate his 60th birthday with contributors such as U.A. Fanthorpe, Deryn Rees-Jones, Roger McGough
, Adrian Henri
and John Lucas. He was a founder member and chair of the Windows Project for many years. He was also a noted children's poet, publishing two collections and appearing in hundreds of anthologies.
Simpson died in Merseyside in June 2009, of complications following a heart bypass.
Letters to Berlin, Driftwood Publications, 1971.
A Skye Sequence, Driftwood Publications, 1972.
Watercolour from an Approved School, Toulouse Press, 1975.
Uneasy Vespers, Windows, 1977.
Making Arrangements, Bloodaxe, 1982.
See You On The Christmas Tree, Windows, 1984.
Dead Baiting, Four Eyes Press, 1989.
An Elegy for the Galosherman: New & Selected Poems, Bloodaxe, 1990.
To Tasmania With Mrs Meredith, Headland, 1994.
On The Right Side of the Earth, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
, Australia, 1995.
Catching Up With History, Bloodaxe, 1995.
Somewhere Down The Line, Shoestring Press, 1998.
Cutting The Clouds Towards, Liverpool University Press
, 1998.
Getting There, Liverpool University Press, 2001.
In Deep, Shoestring Press, 2006.
Critical Works:
Hugging the Shore: collected essays (Collected literary essays), Shoestring Press, 2003.
Guides to Shakespeare for Greenwich Exchange:
Focus Guides for Greenwich Exchange:
Poetry for Children:
Editor:
Stoneland Harvest: new and selected poems of Dimitris Tsaloumas (co-edited with John Lucas) Shoestring Press, 1999
The Way You Say The World: a celebration for Anne Stevenson (co-edited with John Lucas), Shoestring Press, 2003
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and literary critic. He published six full poetry collections, and after retiring from a senior lectureship in English at Liverpool Hope University
Liverpool Hope University
Liverpool Hope University is a university in Liverpool, England. Two of its three founding colleges were established in 1844 and 1856, the third opening in the 1960s. It is the only ecumenical university in Europe. Based on two campuses, the main campus is located in Childwall and the second...
, wrote numerous books of literary criticism until his death in 2009.
Simpson was born in Bootle
Bootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
to a working class family with a long sea-faring tradition, and educated at Bootle Grammar School
Bootle High School
Bootle High School was located in Netherton, Merseyside, England. It closed in September 2009.-Staff & Pupils:The school, which catered for roughly 600 pupils between the ages of 11 to 16 years old, was under the headship of Mr P. Fryer...
. In 1955 he won a place at Cambridge where he read English. For some years after graduating he taught English to overseas students in Cambridge where he met his German wife, Monika Weydert, and where his two children were born. In 1964 he returned to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. During 1994 he was poet-in-residence for six months in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, and in 1996 a festschrift edited by Angela Topping
Angela Topping
Angela Topping is a British poet, literary critic and author. She has published three solo poetry collections, Dandelions for Mothers' Day , The Fiddle and The Way We Came ....
was put together to celebrate his 60th birthday with contributors such as U.A. Fanthorpe, Deryn Rees-Jones, Roger McGough
Roger McGough
Roger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
, Adrian Henri
Adrian Henri
Adrian Henri was a British poet and painter best remembered as the founder of poetry-rock group The Liverpool Scene and as one of three poets in the best-selling anthology The Mersey Sound, along with Brian Patten and Roger McGough. The trio of Liverpool poets came to prominence in that city's...
and John Lucas. He was a founder member and chair of the Windows Project for many years. He was also a noted children's poet, publishing two collections and appearing in hundreds of anthologies.
Simpson died in Merseyside in June 2009, of complications following a heart bypass.
Publications
Solo Poetry Collections:Letters to Berlin, Driftwood Publications, 1971.
A Skye Sequence, Driftwood Publications, 1972.
Watercolour from an Approved School, Toulouse Press, 1975.
Uneasy Vespers, Windows, 1977.
Making Arrangements, Bloodaxe, 1982.
See You On The Christmas Tree, Windows, 1984.
Dead Baiting, Four Eyes Press, 1989.
An Elegy for the Galosherman: New & Selected Poems, Bloodaxe, 1990.
To Tasmania With Mrs Meredith, Headland, 1994.
On The Right Side of the Earth, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is a museum located in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1891, the Queen Victoria has a strong reputation for its excellent collection, which includes fine exhibitions of colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and...
, Australia, 1995.
Catching Up With History, Bloodaxe, 1995.
Somewhere Down The Line, Shoestring Press, 1998.
Cutting The Clouds Towards, Liverpool University Press
Liverpool University Press
Liverpool University Press, founded in 1899, is the third oldest university press in England after Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press....
, 1998.
Getting There, Liverpool University Press, 2001.
In Deep, Shoestring Press, 2006.
Critical Works:
Hugging the Shore: collected essays (Collected literary essays), Shoestring Press, 2003.
Guides to Shakespeare for Greenwich Exchange:
- Othello (2003)
- Macbeth (2003)
- The Tempest (2004)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (2006)
- Twelfth Night (2006)
- Much Ado About Nothing (2007)
- Romeo and Juliet (2008)
Focus Guides for Greenwich Exchange:
- The Waste Land (2007)
- Wuthering Heights (2007)
- Songs of Innocence and Experience (2008)
- Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (2008)
Poetry for Children:
- The Pigs' Thermal Underwear (Headland, 1993)
- What the Wind Said! (Greenwich Exchange, 2008)
Editor:
Stoneland Harvest: new and selected poems of Dimitris Tsaloumas (co-edited with John Lucas) Shoestring Press, 1999
The Way You Say The World: a celebration for Anne Stevenson (co-edited with John Lucas), Shoestring Press, 2003