Now, That's What I Call Monkey Kettle: 1999-2004 v. 1 [Paperback]

Monkey Kettle is Milton Keynes' premier poetry, arts and culture ragazine. It was started in 1999, when a hungover poet had the idea. Six years later, the mag has appeared on TV, radio, t'internet, and has even been touched by some famous poets, who I'm sure we can't name hear for legal reasons.

This anthology gathers together an eclectic mix of writing, art and stuff from the first 20 issues of Monkey Kettle, and throws together the best of the developing literature scene in Milton Keynes with writing talent from the rest of the U.K. and indeed even abroad.

- matthew michael taylor, 2005

Now That's What I Call Monkey Kettle is the first compilation from Milton Keynes poetry mag "Monkey Kettle".

Monkey Kettle is Milton Keynes' premier poetry, arts and culture ragazine. It was started in 1999, when a hungover poet had the idea. Six years later, the mag has appeared on TV, radio, t'internet, and has even been touched by some famous poets, who I'm sure we can't name hear for legal reasons.

This anthology gathers together an eclectic mix of writing, art and stuff from the first 20 issues of Monkey Kettle, and throws together the best of the developing literature scene in Milton Keynes with writing talent from the rest of the U.K. and indeed even abroad.

- matthew michael taylor, 2005

matthew michael taylor - Erratic poet, playwright, 30 and editor of MK's premier poetry mag. Career highs so far include having comedy broadcast on E4, play scenes performed at Manchester's Green Room, being singer in the Hot FM Young Pot Act 1993, and being Milton Keynes Young Poet of the year 1987. None of those are actually quite as impressive as they sound when you get close up. Still, early doors.

Darren Gray - Raised in the sleepy rural idyll that is Luton, Bedfordshire Darren had big dreams. Many varied childhood, teenage and early adulthood dramas followed (herculean efforts, wild tempests, struggles to defeat evil in the face of sure annihilation and the like) before he eventually gracefully and gratefully came to rest upon the lip of the old and the new - this glorious New Horizon - Milton Keynes, where he works for the council. Big dreams. Darren is the author of the very successful "Delicate Elephant" - ISBN 0-9544-0113-1 - a fantastic accompaniament to any life filled with anything.

Sometimes, when it rains :

Sometimes,
on those soft days,
when the rain drizzles light,
and the sky is full of greys,
and it feels like night.

I stop thinking.

Sometimes,
on those sunny days,
when all is bright,
and I feel the summer rays,
and the clouds are white.

I stop worrying.

Sometimes,
on those quiet days,
when our embrace is tight,
and it’s enough to laze,
and it just feels right.

I start feeling.

but only sometimes.

- Mike Cordell. (p20)