Matthew Anish

Matthew Anish

The poet Matthew Anish, our friend, has passed away. We are keeping him close, reading his words aloud to each other, drinking green tea, and listening to Dvořák.    

Matthew was old school Lower East Side, the best kind of “cool dude.” Attending poetry readings, theater, live music, having conversations about religion, politics, music, books, and asking questions to all he met, just one human being to another.     

“Matthew was inspirational, intelligent, insightful, informative, and gave off very good kosher karma. A man of deep cool cosmic thought. He was overall a decent, honest guy who wasn’t about a lie,” Daniel Schack reflected on his friend. Jack Horowitz added, “he was a mensch.” 

He was a member of Community Access’ Club Access, volunteered at The Poetry House, and until his death, he wrote a monthly column on collectibles for Barrs Postcard News and taught English as a second language at BMCC. He published his writing on poetrysoup.com, American Tolkien society, Beyond Bree, Jews in Space, New York Times’ Metropolitan Diary, amongst many other venues. A member of our collective, Matthew ran a weekly reading and writing workshop. He was a dedicated fan of NY Giants and Mets.                      

Matthew wished peace to all. Please read his poems, drink green tea, and be kind. 

Now I Tell the Tale
I have wandered
in imaginary kingdoms
and seen wonders
but now I am back
on the wavelength of reality
The years are not always kind
But the warm winds of late summer
are kind
It matters little
if the game of chance we all play
disappoints
Because the power of the life force
brings manifold strength and blessings
to those touched by its powers
Listen and listen well
to the sounds nature brings
to us
The cry of a bird
and its urgent flight
Shows us the way
to happiness and freedom

-Matthew Anish

A Rather Lazy Day (from "Of Other Things:)

Felt a little lazy
So I rested today
Cancelled an appointment
with an old friend
Took lozenges and
many cups of green tea with honey
Tomorrow back to the old grind
So I decide to
take the time
to write an ode
Isn't it nice
to pour our feelings and thoughts
onto the blank page
In this technological age
Pen and paper
still have their place
in the midst of the frenetic race
for money and love
Perhaps someone
Out there in the darkness
Will read this and decide to a
Write an ode themselves
The mind can reach other minds and
The soul can reach other souls
After the carnage
There is still much to say
Your words can
Show others the way
And like honey form the hive
We need careful words
To stay alive

-Matthew Anish

To read more of his work, visit http://tinyurl.com/Matthew-Anish-Poetry-Soup