Super-excited to finally be able to announce the release of our latest poetry collection: Wallington Morning by Keith Armstrong. It's been a long process but well worth it for the beautiful poems that it reveals to the reader; triumphant, brittle, mournful and startling. Available from Amazon as a paperback or for Kindle. Keith Armstrong has put together a romantic, tough, beguiling and tender collection drawing heavily on his connection with the north east. His themes are universal though. A must have for anyone who loves contemporary poetry at its best. Please take a look at this collection of poetry - if contemporary British voices is your thing. I genuinely think this is a great collection by Keith Armstrong.
A fabulous collection of poems from a true poet.
Wallington Morning is tough, tender, funny and nostalgic in the best possible way.
A subtle observer of beauty whether he chooses to do so from the position of global citizen, mourner, lover, friend or son.
Paul Summers
Keith Armstrong’s poems are rooted in the Tyneside music hall tradition, behind which was the august balladry of the Borders.
Michael Standen
'No one in the North East has written and read and
encouraged and organised so consistently and over so
long a period as Keith Armstrong. His poetry is
different, original, and politically exhilarating.’
'It doesn't matter which way his poems are facing, or
the subjects they address, it is recognisibly the same
sensibility, each part of a unified whole, and unified
by the same, strong identifiable voice.' (Andy Croft)
‘When all the rat-faced boys were snuffling at their
mothers'paps, Keith Armstrong was hammering out his
own particular brand of urban socialism, its roots
embedded in Newcastle and his love-hate relationship
with his home city.
Keith is an enigma, a peripatetic people's poet, whose
poems were firebrands that pointed the way for a whole
generation of poets. Keith made a lot of things
possible for myself and many others like me. I don’t
mind admitting that without Keith I would have given
up poetry as a waste of life years ago. Listen to the
lilt of Keith's voice, it is the true voice of
humanity from the pavement philosopher who has lost
everything to the rake internationalist trawling the
bars of Europe in search of poetry and love.’ (Kevin
Cadwallender)
'Armstrong's poetry is the window opened to let out
fetid air and everyone feels their lethargy evaporate.
Although he's been writing and performing for over
thirty years, he's still a marginal figure. Shame on
the poetry czars!
A joyous, subversive, delightful, unpretentious,
funny, anarchistic free spirit underpins Armstrong's
work. It will cheer you up.
His poems are technically achieved, funny, witty,
touching, and sufficiently various for there to be
something to light up every brain which responds to
poetry.
One way to make the world better would be to give
poets as good as Armstrong their due.'
(Alan Dent, Editor, The Penniless Press).
'Great stuff recently. can u send me a signed copy of your recent book? My daughter writes poetry and has just won two prizes and she loved your recent piece so I wanna give her a book of your work.' (Conrad Atkinson)
Mo Shevis - I love this book and have introduced it to my poetry reading group on many occasions .
Dear Keith,
I keep in hands your book today. Have read the title giving first poem: V e r y i n t i ma t e and combining farming and thinking and writing. So there was a friendship-link between the great George Orwell and Jack Common - and you have joined them here. Thank you very much, Keith. It will accompagny me at this end of August. I have the dictionary at my side, because you teach me English beside the pleasure I feel when reading your "fresh", non-academic poems in your very special rhythm.
Thanks, thanks and again thanks from
Margit (from Tuebingen)
