You Sleep Uphill / David Merritt

Poems by David Merritt

The long-awaited collection of poems both well-worn and newly minted by New Zealand’s only street-level poet. Hand-bound with brass screws and recycled Reader’s Digest hardback covers.

Published May 2022
Hardcover, 86 pages
ISBN 9780995125193

$35.00

Out of stock

Praise

David Merritt excels at a sort of hard-luck lyrical life-writing that, in an Aotearoa context, is virtually his exclusive domain. (Maybe only slightly contested by Dunedin’s beloved Peter Olds.) His poetic practice is also unique in that he tirelessly travels the country gigging and selling his numerous lovingly made broadsheets and ‘poetry bricks’ to audiences outside the poetry mainstream. (Well, he did before COVID.) He is warm and engaging and engaged. So I was a little surprised to realise that his recent work, some of which I have read before, is, when put between two covers and handed over to a publishing house, suffused with a poignant sadness. It is affecting.
– Erik Kennedy

The Author

David Merritt

Street level poet who makes poetry publications from recycled Reader’s Digest condensed book covers and banana box cardboard, often in public places, on a footpath bench seat or from the bonnet of his car. Using stamp pad alphabet sets, a stapler, glue sticks, a photocopier and a copy left intellectual property model, Landroverfarm Press has published over 100s of distinct titles from unique single page A3 publications to collections and boxsets.