“Each poem in this outstanding collection exists in its own right. These poems are alive: they have a heartbeat” – Kitty Donnelly, poet

“The first and last words of Street Sailing are the word ‘awake’, and this is definitely how these poems seem, and how they feel to me; to transmit such a sense to a reader is no mean feat – in fact, it is an act of high magic. Let these poems work their wonder upon you!”
Mab Jones, Buzz Mag

“I only had to read the first three poems…to know that I had found another poet to add to my list of favourites! It is a remarkable work for a first collection: thoughtful, profound, engaging, beautifully crafted, fresh…: the sort of debut which makes you wonder where the poet can go from here…”
Nigel Kent

My debut poetry collection Street Sailing was published by Black Bough Poetry in 2023. 
To buy a copy, contact me, try The Bookseller Crow, Crystal Palace, or go here. If you’ve read, or are interested in learning more about ‘Street Sailing’, there’s an extensive interview with me about the process, influences and inspirations behind it by poet Paul Brookes on his excellent Wombwell Rainbow.

The poem Foxed has been nominated for the Forward Prize, Best Single Poem.

Reviews/Testimonials

“I keep going back to the phrase ‘life multiplied by life’ from “Undercliff”. It seems to be the neatest encapsulation of a wonderful debut.” Mat Riches, London Grip, March 2024

“The poet’s repeated focus on the present moment emphasises the disconnect between living through screens and LIVING with eyes wide open and capital everything.” – brieflywrite.com

The Book Bag – “an exquisite debut collection of poems that provide sensory portraits of daily life across a span of settings, full of imagery and texture.” Paul Short

“He captures the ordinary moments of life and imbues them with a sense of wonder and grace.”
– Alan Parry, EIC The Broken Spine

“A collection to savour from a skilled poet who encourages us to go out into the world with our eyes wide open” – Jen Feroze, author of The Colour of Hope

“Matt Gilbert has woven some kind of deep magic here from unprepossessing everyday fabric. Treat yourself to a taste of his conjuring skills.’ – Lesley Curwen, broadcaster, poet, campaigner.

“This is a debut that feels too polished to be a poet’s first outing: the deftest ringmastering of a circus of words, the keenest direction of a broad cast of characters, themes and ideas.” 
– Mark Anthony Owen, poet, editor of iamb & After

“Each poem haunts the page with precise imagery and a linguistic dexterity that illuminates the mammoth talent held in this book…Weaving between memory, present environments, and dreams of the future, this collection unpacks all the layers a man can hold and the depths a poet must go to uncover them.” – Briony Collins, author of The Birds, The Rabbits, The Trees

Feature on Bristol 24/7
‘Street Sailing, a Bristol inflected collection.’

Guest feature on Patricia’s Pen
– writer Patricia M Osborne’s site