Book of Matches

by Simon Armitage

Losing none of the exuberance and verbal agility which have become a hallmark of Simon Armitage's poetry, these poems are more obviously personal - the ensuing risks, of vulnerability and exposure, more dangerous. The poems mark a coming-of-age of a poet who is by now established as a leading voice. The book is arranged in three sections. The first part, the "Book of Matches", is a series of sonnets. Each poem is designed to relay the urgency of a struck match, packed with discoveries, flashes of insights on family and life. The poems in the middle section, "Becoming of Age" relate incidents, from other times, other lives and experiences, to a common life. The final section, "Reading the Bans", is a moving sequence of poems on the poet's marriage.

Genres: Poetry, LGBT

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 1993

About the author

Simon Armitage, whose The Shout was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, has published ten volumes of poetry and has received numerous honors for his work. He was appointed UK Poet Laureate in 2019

Armitage's poetry collections include Book of Matches (1993) and The Dead Sea Poems (1995). He has written two novels, Little Green Man (2001) and The White Stuff (2004), as well as All Points North (1998), a collection of essays on the north of England. He has produced a dramatised version of Homer's Odyssey and a collection of poetry entitled Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus The Corduroy Kid (which was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize), both of which were published in July 2006. Many of Armitage's poems appear in the AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) GCSE syllabus for English Literature in the United Kingdom. These include "Homecoming", "November", "Kid", "Hitcher", and a selection of poems from Book of Matches, most notably of these "Mother any distance...". His writing is characterised by a dry Yorkshire wit combined with "an accessible, realist style and critical seriousness."

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never used to like Simon Armitage's poetry. I don't know why. Everything in the GCSE anthology we used, I hated the look of -- we weren't studying him, but I was curious and liked poetry in general, so I read everything in there. And I didn't like it.

But someone recently showed me a poem from this collection, 'I thought I'd write my own obituary. Instead', and I loved it, especially the line 'but he has wept the coins that rested on his eyes', but all of it really. So when I saw this collection in the library, I picked it up immediately. It doesn't take long to read through these poems, but they stick in the mind, from the first to the last. I didn't like all of them, but overall, I did like it, and I think I need to read more of Armitage's stuff. I might even pick up a copy of Book of Matches for my own poetry collection, some day.

[Bookish Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Armitage. Poetry royalty. His name loomed over my university creative writing classes - we pulled apart and pieced together one of his poems about a spaceman. I liked this book, although it felt self-indulgent, perhaps too self-concious, his easy rhyme fell flat sometimes - those ABAB lines. I loved it when Armitage played with his rhyme, flipped it around, used subtle repetition.

This collection, the book of matches, is about growing up - it feels both intensely personal and deeply impersonal - about passion: sex, love, death. Death underpins it all: the motif of body bags, knives, necks. It is dark but flippant. I like poetry that is affecting. Most of this collection I did not find affecting - the poems about his little hoop earring perhaps - but others were stunning. I especially love the poem about his mother - he looks out of himself and into his symbiotic relationship with the woman who raised him. That woman is interposed in the ending with the image of his soon-to-be wife, the imagery of the baby. Life replacing life.

[Oliver Shrouder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t my kind of poetry - the focus on rhyme makes a lot of the poems feel impersonal and tongue-in-cheek, so even the most emotional poems become twee. I like the concept of the book, but after a handful of pages I realised there was very little mileage in practice

[BoltonEnglish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moments of illumination and coercion to live sentiently. Windows of warm nostalgia with the sense of lessons learned.

[Megan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dont believe me, please, if I say that was just my butter fingered way, at thirteen, of asking you if you would marry me"
Beautiful.

[Emily Carter-Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a slow starter for me. 3.5 stars.

The collection is divided into 3 parts. The first part is a series of poems that are really literary self-portraits which were sometimes dark. This part did not spark anything with me.

The second part is a collection of poems on a number of topics, and this is the part that really sang to me. I particularly loved the the bitterness of The Lost Letter of the Late Jud Fry and Penelope. I thought these 2 poems were artfully composed and really made me think.

The third part of the collection is centred around marriage (or the preparation for the big day). Whilst this was better than the first part of the book, I don't feel it held the oomph of the second part.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armitage is a Prokofiev of poetry! His writing is elegant and playful at the same time and full of surprising bends which explore the conditions of everyday life.

[Andy Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armitage is such an easy poet to like - clear, direct delivery of a range of intriguing ideas.

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't necessarily agree, but I like this:

"I can see what it takes
to keep a friendship in the heart,
the chest. That's
when I like love best - not locked away
but left unsung, unsaid.
And then the rest."

[Zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some poems shared his inner thoughts, on his disease, his love life, memories, etc. Whereas other poems were clearly works of fiction but nevertheless enjoyable. A lot packed into a few lines. Very artistic. However only one or two were real treasures that evoked a response.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a damn good book. simon taught me how to rhyme better and loosen up my line.

[Astrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gasp!! esp. part 1

[Joel Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Larkin and Seidel (sans the bile and dodginess) by way of Auden. Way into it.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't quite get the bang of some of his other work, but enjoyed it

[Jenni Hyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire his technique, the way he uses rhyme and some stunningly beautiful lines - but there were too many confusing endings and unresolved issues for my taste.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was staying at my friend's house and noticed she had this book. I had never read any Simon Armitage before and thought it would be a good opportunity to try some.

This book is divided in to three sections. The first one is quite heavy and about the struggles of youth and being vulnerable. The writing is beautiful but not always easy to connect to. The second section was possibly my favourite. Especially "The lost letter of the late Jud Fry." I thought that was absolutely genius and very moving. The last section is about Armitage's first wedding. This was also very enjoyable and he captured the different preparations and emotions beautifully.

An interesting and quite personal collection. I will certainly have to read more Armitage now.

[Jonathan Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a reason he is the poet laureate! This book is full of incredible poems, many of which work together to create an extended poem. Of the three sections it was the first (and longest) section that most blew me away. Many hard hitting yet incredibly grounded poems in this collection. I would recommend that if you are to read this, read an entire section at a time, that way the thread between the poems can be seen.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

simply breathtaking! armitage's eloquence and choice of rhyming is masterful. although some poems fell flat, the standouts made this collection so worth it. some of my faves: 'I've made out a will; I'm leaving myself', 'I am very bothered when I think', Map Reference, You, Penelope, 'Let me put it this way'.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

His poetry betrays his 'northern English' heritage, no bad thing; the imagery is often stark, witty, sometimes brutal like the weather, although at times hard to fathom. This is in fact probably the third time I've read this but I'm relatively new to Goodreads. I thought it was ok years ago, I still think it's ok.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my cup of tea but can appreciate it from a technical standpoint — choice of rhyming, language, structure, rhythm and pace — that was all brilliant. nothing stuck out to me though. i want to feeeeeeeeeeell something

[Antony Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very morose and deep poetry. Not the type of poetry I'd associate with Simon Armitage.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Terji Beder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sections of the book were better than others.
Some poems were very very relatable.

[Hannah Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent.

[H. Atmenmeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heavier book than Kid with darker themes. He is coming into stronger techniques. Strong and moving. Trying really hard.

[Chris Dech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasantly personal and with his regular bit of tongue-in-cheek, Armitage neither gimmicks or goofs with this collection of poems.

[brielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite poetry book :)

[Scarlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good poetry but he is a bit fancy for no reason

[Felix · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty cool

[kat on the mat · Rating 4 out of 5]

he ate