Clay Matthews, doctoral candidate, publishes book of poetry

The English Department is proud to announce the publication of Superfecta, a collection of poetry, by doctoral candidate Clay Matthews. Superfecta is published by Ghost Road Press, and is available for purchase on http://www.ghostroadpress.com/ or http://www.amazon.com. According to a review by the publisher, “Superfecta examines our relation to time and memory with surprising energy and consistent empathy… For Matthews, there is a thin line dividing the body's physicality and the wonder of the mind…”

Matthews, who has been a doctoral student in the Creative Writing Program at Oklahoma State University since Fall 2003, has published extensively in his time here. He has had two chapbooks published, Western Reruns in 2007, from End & Shelf books, and Muffler in 2006 from H_NGM_N B_ _KS. Western Reruns is available to download at http://endandshelfbooks.blogspot.com/2007/06/western-reruns-by-clay-matthews.html. Matthews has also had more than 85 poems published in various journals since 2003. His poetry has also appeared in several anthologies, including Best New Poets of 2005 and Best of the Net 2006. His poem “A Pilgrims Progress, Or Lack Thereof,” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2006. His poem "Self-Help for the Lost and Found" can be read here.

Matthews, who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, is also known as an excellent student. He has been awarded an Oklahoma State University Foundation Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, supported by the Eugene and Doris Miller fellowship. In 2007, he was awarded the Marye Lyn Cummings Scholarship, given to an outstanding creative writing student, and he received the English Department’s highest honor for a doctoral student, the Clinton Keeler Scholarship . 

“The poetry world--actually, the whole world--needs more people like Clay, who is wonderfully talented and open-minded without losing interest in the poetic tradition and its living community, artistically adventurous without being pretentious, and ambitiously interested in success without trying to be the only person who succeeds,” said Lisa Lewis, English Department Creative Writing program director. Lewis added, “It's been an ongoing pleasure to be there as his knowledge of, and skill with, poetry have evolved. He has maintained his balance as perfectly as is humanly possible, and I do not doubt that that will always be his way.” Another creative writing professor in the English Department, Professor Ai, added “Clay is a fine poet and an all around great student.  I will miss him.”

About his time at OSU, Matthews had this to say: “My stay and study in Stillwater has given me both the time and instruction to become a better poet and writer. It’s been an extremely valuable experience in my life.” He plans to keep writing and pursue a career in teaching and/or editing after graduating from OSU this May.

English Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Oklahoma State University
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Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-9474
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Matthew's book cover:

Read Matthew's poem "Self Help for the Lost and Found."