Edmund Matyjaszek was born in London, and now lives in Ryde, Isle of Wight with his family. He is a poet and playwright. He has had over 80 poems published, many of them being prizewinners in various competitions.

His prize-winning play The Consultation on the Israel/Palestine issue was performed at Sevenoaks Arts Festival. Poetry-reading is a particular interest, and he has written and performed scripts on subjects as various as the War Poets, John Donne, Ted Hughes, John Betjeman (opening the Betjeman Centenary year in London in 2006) and his talk with readings The Poet & The Place as part of the Tennyson Bi-Centenary will be on the Isle of Wight on May 3rd 2009. For readings please contact ems@emsbase.co.uk or 020 7736 0350.

First Things

—————

The struggling red hands
Bunch at the tightened face.
Later, sleeping, a tiny wheezing sound
Like a restful sigh, and sleeping too
His mother in the restful night.

I sit under seven stars, an eternal
Clock ticking. All is suspended.
Darkness, everywhere present,
Is gone. The wine pools into a red candle
Of love’s flame, and flickering,
One by one, stars go out,
Re-appear,
Go out, wink and slyly cast
A spell of smiles across the constellations.

We humans are all we are.
The metal world, material science,
News and rush and carnage of noise
Is nothing. He sleeps in a slightly rocking cradle.
There is no world other than his smile.