Tag: Matthew Gutierrez

Poetic Perspective with Matthew Gutierrez

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

Today, we have the honor and privilege of sitting down for virtual coffee with Matthew Gutierrez, author of Notes I Wrote Along The Way. A review of it can be found here.

  1. What was the exact moment you decided to begin writing Notes I Wrote Along The Way?
    I had been writing for years before 2019, so I had quite the collection, but in 2019 it dawned upon me that
    I should release them into the world so others may enjoy them and not keep them locked in my computer.
  1. One of my favorites from the collection is Universal Control? Can you tell us more about the backstory
    behind the piece?

This poem speaks about the complete control that the universe has over all living things; the universe
maintains complete control, and we are subject to the twist and turns that are thrown our way. I believe
that our existence is part of the universe’s plan and we must all play a part and complete a purpose to that
plan.

  1. Besides poetry, what else have you written?
    I have written screenplays, short stories and currently I am working on more poetry and a longer fiction
    piece that will become a novel.
  1. Do you plan to write another poetry collection? If so, do you know what the themes may be?
    I am currently working on writing more poetry and editing and rewriting pieces that I already have picked
    out for my next collection. I want the next book to be more personal, more direct about pieces of my life
    and things that have happened in my life. The themes will remain the same as the first collection, I like to
    focus on the universe, a higher power, love, life and death.
  1. Who inspires you most in your life?
    I inspire myself… my life inspires me and the people that come In and out of my life inspire me in some
    manner. Life is full or inspiration and sparks ideas to write.
  1. Who are some of your favorite poets?
    I would say that I am a fan of Pablo Neruda, John Keats, Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath, Phillip B.
    Williams, Roger Reeves.

7.What’s your favorite thing about poetry?
I love poetry because you can find the right words for a poem that you cannot seem to discover when
speaking to another human being. I started writing poetry due to the lack of courage I had to say a few
things on my mind. I found it easier to write them as poems instead.

  1. What is most misunderstood about poetry in your opinion?

The state of being abstract. I hear often, in my MFA program, that I can be a bit too abstract, and I need to
be more grounded and concrete when writing a poem. While I am working on being more focused on
describing a scene, I do believe that I am that poet and have to stay true to what I do.

#NationalPoetryMonth: Notes I Wrote Along The Way by Matthew Gutierrez Review

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

Have you ever been completely swept off your feet by a book of poetry? I have many many times. The first time it ever happened I was in college and found a poet on Tumblr and I covered my dorm walls with their words.

Yet, recently sitting down to delve into Notes I Wrote Along The Way by Matthew Guttierrez I found myself in that same place, absolutely glued between the covers of his poetry collection, slowly digesting each and every poem as it spoke to my soul as nothing else has. 

As a poet myself, I find that to be an inspiring moment and a revelation of the true talents that poet has as if I feel inspired to write a piece after reading one of theirs then I truly know I was taken on a journey with the poet, and got to metaphorically walk in their shoes.

And sometimes those shoes are quite big, stuck in quicksand, lost and alone, feeling like a failure, heartbroken, grieving or just pondering a unique perspective of the human experience.

Matthew Gutierrez writes of memory, environment, love, sexual desire, dreams, madness, and death but they all speak to something profound and poignant.

Gutierrez’s word choice and imagery are what struck such a chord with me while reading this collection, and it makes me hungry for more work from this poet as I am certain this poet has many more notes that will need be written along the way.

Coming this Wednesday…stay tuned for an interview with Matthew himself.

For more from Matthew Gutierrez, follow him on Instagram @notes2poetry and @matthewjames_g

Follow The Smart Cookie Philes on Instagram to hear Chelsea DeVries read these poems, and to hear Matthew read one as well.

This FREE BOOK REVIEW was done in support of poetry and the arts. The Smart Cookie Philes is a independently owned and woman run company to help all people feel free to espresso themselves. It is a book and music publicity firm offering various marketing services and packages including the new Indie Book Tour Package as seen below.

Consider tipping Chelsea for her work on this piece at the following link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CDeVries26