"Stick, Hook, and a Pile of Yarn" Poetry Collection
Mervyn Seivwright
Poet, Workshop Facilitator, Lecturer
United States
Mervyn R. Seivwright writes to balance social consciousness & poetry craft for humane growth. He is from a Jamaican family and was born in Dulwich, a south suburb of London, England. His childhood started in Ipswich, Suffolk in England and at age 10 he moved to the United States. He later joined the United States Air Force for 22 years leading to his traveling the globe. During this time Mervyn took part in performance poetry and wrote 7 self-published poetry collections while in these other countries or on deployed service.
Highlights from performance poetry events included an opening for Def Jam's Comedian Bruce Bruce in Florida and Tommy Davison while deployed. He finished in the top 5 in the German American Institute Germany National Invitation Slam in Heidelberg Germany. He was a featured artist in the Paris Connection, an ethnic art collective that holds dinner functions in Paris France. He took first place at Cafe Kraaij & Balder Poetry Slam in Eindhoven Netherlands, finishing in the top 4 at the Netherlands national level for Eindhoven. In England, he featured in Peterborough, Cambridge, and at Oxford’s Hammer and Tongue events. In London, he featured at the Bloomsbury Theatre, Brixton Arts Gallery, The Jazz Café, and placed 5th in England’s first National Poetry Slam.
Since returning to the United States, Mervyn completed an MFA at Spalding University’s School of Writing, Louisville, Kentucky. He taught over 600 professional development students professional writing techniques for four years at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Education Facilities. He has guest lectured at the University of Maryland Global Campus, Webster University, Broward College, Wright Patterson Education Center, and Jefferson Community and Technical College.
In addition, Mervyn has appeared or has forthcoming published works across 12 countries in AGNI Literary Magazine, Ligeia Magazine, Salamander Literary Magazine, Pembroke Magazine, River Heron Review, The American Journal of Poetry, I-70 Review Literary Magazine, TAB: The Journal of Poetry & Poetics, Constellations Lit, The Caribbean Writer (Virgin Islands), The Poetry International C. P. Cavafy Prize, Pangyrus Lit Review, Abstract: Contemporary Expressions, African American Review, The Fourth River, Cosmonauts Avenue Literary Journal (Canada), Santa Fe Literary Review, Sixfold Poetry 2022, filling Station Magazine (Canada), The Lumiere Review, Burningword Literary Journal, Saranac Review, The Nonconformist Magazine, Poetry Online, Harbor Review, Ginosko Literature Journal, Black in White Poetry Competition (England), Allium A Journal of Poetry & Prose, Mount Island Literature Review, Voices Israel Anthology (Israel), Seaside Gothic Magazine (England), Griffel Literature Review (Norway), Blot From the Blue Anthology (Scotland), The Trinity Review (Canada), Zimetra International Review (Sri Lanka), Briefly Write (England), Good River Review, Montana Mouthful Literary Magazine, Prometheus Dreaming Cultural Journal, Arlington Literary Journal, Cape Cod Poetry Review, Samjoko Magazine (Republic of Korea), Hellebore Press, Littoral Magazine (England), The Writer's Block Magazine (Netherlands), iō Literary Journal, Stone Poetry Quarterly, Toho Journal, Flying Ketchup Press, Ballast Journal, Willow Wept Review, Black Sunflower Poetry Press (England), Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal, Line Breaks Literary Journal, The Ocotillo Review, Flora Fiction Literary Journal, The MacGuffin, Military Experience & the Arts' (M.E.A.) literary journal "As You Were", The Stirling Spoon, Transom Journal, Z Publishing's Kentucky's Best Emerging Poets 2019, Round Table Literary Journal, Westward Quarterly, Akewi Magazine (Nigeria), Bread and Roses Poetry 2021 Anthology (Culture Matters Ltd - England), Cry of the Poor 2021 Anthology (Culture Matters Ltd - England), The Write Launch Literary Journal, The Scribe Literary Journal, Common Threads Literary Journal, Flights Literary Journal, The AuVert Magazine, Wingless Dreamer (India), Rigorous Magazine, INNSÆI Journal (India), and The Black Experience Anthology.
He has received recognition as 2024 Winner of The Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize, The Caribbean Writer, University of Virgin Islands, 2023 Pushcart Nomination, Pangyrus Literary Magazine, April 2023, Shortlisted, 2023 Hammond House International Literary Prize, December 2023, Semi-Finalist, 2023 Sundress Publications 2023 E-Chapbook Contest, September 2023, Third Place in the Black in White Poetry Competition 2022 and Honorable Mention, October 2022; listed in John Hopkins National Poetry Month Collection, April 2022; Finalist, CutBank Literary Journal Annual Genre Contest, University of Montana: Apr 2021, Honorable Mention, 31st Reuben Rose Annual Poetry Competition, Summer 2021; 2021 Pushcart Nomination, Santa Fe Literary Review, Oct 2020; Semi-Finalist, Ember Chasm Review Fiction and Poetry Contest, Oct 2020; Second Runner-Up, The Lucy Terry Prince Prize, Judged by Major Jackson, Mount Island, Summer 2020; Longlisted, The Lascaux Review, Lascaux Prize in Poetry: Jul 2020; Semi-Finalist, Midwest Review's Poetry Contest, The Great Midwest Poetry Contest, Apr 2020; and Commissioned, British Museum, Exhibition for the “200-Year Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade”, Ipswich, England, September 2007. Mervyn currently lives in Schopp, Germany.
Short Bio:
Mervyn Seivwright writes to balance social consciousness & poetry craft for humane growth. He is a nomad from a Jamaican family, born in London, England, & left for America at age 10, now residing in Schopp, Germany. His performance poetry highlights include events in 9 countries, with features at The Jazz Café, & a finalist at the UK’s Word-for-Word National Poetry Slam. Mervyn completed a writing MFA at Spalding University & has appeared in AGNI, American Journal of Poetry, Salamander Magazine, African American Review, & 70 other journals across 11 countries, receiving recognition as the 2024 Marvin E Williams Literary Prize winner and a 2021 & 2023 Pushcart Nominee.
His new collection, "Stick, Hook, and a Pile of Yarn, is available through Broken Sleep Books (Wales/September 2023).
