Middlesbrough Evening Gazette
Former Boulby Potash Miner and Redcar British Steel Coking Oven labourer who left school at 15 without any educational qualifications.
Margaret Weir - The Phoenix Poetry Group
Mark - The angry-young-romantic-cynic
Geoff Lowe - Psychopoetica - University of Hull
Some Gems
Andy Bruce - Peace and Freedom
This is the kind of gear I like, something rebellious, yet artistic, different and daring. It takes courage to publish work such as this. Perspicacious, and will certainly make you think.
The Library - University College London
The Librarian has much pleasure in thanking you on behalf of the Library Committee for your kind gift to the college Library - 7 poetry pamphlets.
Geoff Stevens - Purple Patch
Mark's interest appears solely to get his message over.
Andy Bruce - Peace and Freedom
It seems Mark can stand back and observe things in a detached way. Once tuned into his wavelength I began to see the depth.
Andy Robson - Krax
I gather that like Dylan Thomas if you've had a good sale you get drunk at the end of the day! There's a playfulness in your work seldom found in poetry today. (Mark used to sell his early books for 50p or half pint of larger!)
Kevin Troop - The Third Half
Keep up YOUR good work!
Penguin Books Ltd.
Thank you for submitting your work for consideration. Unfortunately, Penguin / Viking do not publish 'unsolicited poetry'
Christa Van Realte - The Studio - North Shields
My reaction to your sketch - Walls - was that it was an ace sketch - very funny and very accurate in a warped sort of way. Alternative Medicine was a bit too clever for its own good. Send them to the comedy sketch type programmes.
Julian Dutton (Script Writer - Weekending - London
Flair for comedy dialogue.
Kathleen MacReery - Newcastle - Cleveland Theatre Company Dramatist.
A knack for satire
BBC Light Entertainment - London
Keep it up!
Trev Teasdel - Outlet Magazine 1988
You have won first prize in the first Outlet Poetry competition and you will be featured in both Outlet and Cleveland Scene.
Trev Teasdel - Outlet Magazine 1990
Being only a short programme we were unfortunately unable to feature you the BBC Open Space Programme - Breaking the Ice about Outlet and Write Around on this occasion Mark but you are invited to be in the poetry audience when they film and will be considered if there is a follow on.
Commisioned alongside other Cleveland poets to produce a poem for the follow on - a BBC 2 Documentary on Cleveland Poetry. Wrote Cleve the Land.
Prince Charles
Message of best wishes for work on the E.T. Charity Magazine.
Brian Patten - Liverpool Poet
Best wishes. I really hope things go well for you and yur work. (One of Mark's books was a selection suggested by Brian Patten.)
New Hope International
Jester Years 11 - some interesting and deep thoughts in this booklet, worth dipping into. This is mark's 30th booklet and if you turnout so many poems you should have just a few good ones. Too often nowadays people think that quantity is quality. Chuck out the crap, Mark and tidy up the act.
Krax - Leeds
Dead Beat - Whatever I may be taken down and used in evidence. Simple, jingle-like rhymes that are quite philospophical at the end of the day. An ocassional longer piece doesn't work so he just throws in a four line witticism and carries on. Recalls the earlier efforts of Liverpool poets, the more inebriated Robert Burns and Dave (where is he now?) Ward. So many to choose form. But you won't be disappointed with this selection.
IOTA -Chesterfiled
Pyrate Potshots - is principally about love, ranging from Profumo to ballroom romance, but also briefly embraces like and its outcasts and is stongly favoured by the sea. He poems are short and vary between what might be called children's songs to true reflections. "Rum goings on / brought down / a government. / Prufumo perfume / rides still the air. / "We're all flesh / said the ram / made a scapegoat,/ soon to be dust.../ soon to be dust." There is humour too particualry in thesecond of the two playlets that complement the 18 poems. Mark Beevers is prolific - this is his 31st collection since summer 1988 - but his poems have an instantaneous feel to them which is pleasing and refreshing. For this price nobody could complain.
Ivor Cutler (Poet)
Honest - if nothing else.
John Howard - Vigil
Can't keep up with your output!! - Various Beeverlets to review in next issue.
Geoff Lowe - Psychopoetica
Keep churning them out Mark
Andy Croft - Noticeboard - Evening Gazette - Middlesbrough
One of the most prolific poets in the area.
Global Tapestry
Beevers is a pop poet. A relaxed literary sniper who gunslings with journalistic direct simplicty.
Colin Mulligan - 2nd Rapture - Hull
I enjoyed Both Barels Blazing very much. Great to hear you are still writing strongly.
Poetry Editor - Ryde School - Isle of Wight
I can see how Brian Patten would like your epigramic style.
John Howard Vigil Magazine - Gillingham
A brave phenomenon from Cleveland. The poetry is sharp and entertaining at its best and never dull.
Margaret Pain IOTA - Chesterfiled
Varies between jingles - sometimes with rather odd rhymes - and quite unsophisticated and witty pieces, some of which might be claimed as being just crisply arranged prose - but it often works.
Andy Robson - Krax Magazine
A new keen writer in the romantic vein. Has mastered the art of the poem quite well in a range between birthday card verse and cartoon strip pithy comment. Aname to watch out for if he doesn't burn himself up too quickly. Short sweet and simple stuff for fast consumption that won't make you fat.
Global Tapestry
Poetry Partisan - More bardic observations. Remembering Flower Power turning out "Plastic / as the system/ it tried to change"
Ball and Chain - "God is my assassin" Beeevers makes some good solo hits. "Speak of freedom / and be applauded;/ speak freely / and be condemened"
Chryme - Sometimes sentimental; often (as in the cross-dressng 'Reflection - very clever. "Whores / like soldiers/ arnt paid to think "
Peace and Freedom - Hartlepool
I enjoyed this varied collection of poetry I particualrly liked "Dirty Work" - a poem about politians, and very true. Notable poems are "Questions" "London" "God is my Assassin" and "Return Journey".
Krax Magazine - Leeds
Dark Angel - Short witty pithy poems with more than a hint of cheekiness. I should think the Dark Angel of the title is a pint of Guiness more than anything else. Some of the work deserves better than this swift cheap production. Full of smile. Just what we need. Buy one - it's good for you and won't hurt.
The Third Half - Stamford Lincs
Black Sheep / Death is my Lady / Dark angel / Heathen Heart - all worthy efforts (books) from Mark Beevers.
IOTA - Chesterfield
A Lone Wolf's Whistle - Mark Beevers presents his 13th publication. I liked the title poem's last verse - "There's room for three / my pillow is wide / you've met Jekyll / there meet Hyde" Wizards and Warlocks again - "You might have been the magic / in a warlock's spell / you might have been the wish / froma wishing well" A very true piece piece refers to people enjoying a booklet yet saying "But who reads poetry anyway" I empathize with his "The Worry" - "I just can't go to sleep / too busy counting sheep"
AndyCroft - Noticeboard - Evening Gazette - Middlesbrough
Unmasked - Mark Beevers, one of the most prolific poets in the area has just published - himself - his 22nd book of poetry.
