Spoken Word Artist & AUthor: Matthew J. Keefe

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In a world that becomes increasingly cutthroat, Matthew J. Keefe uses his words and voice to illuminate the world around him. A late bloomer in a sense, Matthew originally focused on drawing as his main creative outlet. 

That all changed at age fifteen when his father gifted him a copy of “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac. He soon found his passion growing in high school when several of his poems got published in the school newspaper in his hometown of Coventry, Rhode Island. It made sense that he took after his father, and he honed in his craft long after he graduated. 

He eventually released a full-length poetry book entitled “Awake in Dreams” in 2016, followed by the sequel “Awake in Dreams: Reprise” in 2018. The poet also delved into the spoken word scene that year, releasing his debut spoken word poem “Heart’s Mind” with fellow wordsmith Jerrell Grimes.

Matthew takes influence from some of the greatest writers across numerous generations, from Ernest Hemingway and William Blake to Bob Dylan and writers in the Beat Generation. This all culminates in his unique flair, words that he hopes will “enlighten the world and make it a better place.”