Toby Martinez de las Rivas

Toby Martinez de las Rivas
Born	1978 (age 47–48) Somerset, UK
Alma mater	Durham University

Toby Martinez de las Rivas is a British poet.

Often compared to Geoffrey Hill, he has been described as a religious poet, although he is personally agnostic. ^{[1] [2]}

Career

Martinez de las Rivas studied Archaeology and History at Durham University. ^[3] Originally from Somerset, he now lives in Córdoba, Spain. ^[4]

He was the Duke University Blackburn Artist in Residence for the 2023-24 academic year. ^[5] De las Rivas' poetry garnered attention in 2018 following a controversial accusation by one author that de Las Rivas held fascist viewpoints, sparking a defense of de las Rivas by poet commentators, including that de las Rivas' work had been taken out of context. ^{[6] [2]}

Selected Awards

• 2005: Eric Gregory Award ^[7]
• 2008: The Andrew Waterhouse Award for New Writing ^[8]
• 2014: The Wiener Holocaust Library International Book Art Prize ^[9]
• 2018: shortlisted for the Forward Prize ^[10]

Selected publications

• —— (2009). Faber New Poets 2 - Toby Martinez de las Rivas. Faber & Faber. ISBN   9780571249961.
• —— (2014). Terror. Faber & Faber. ISBN   9780571296828.
• —— (2018). Black Sun. Faber & Faber. ISBN   9780571333790.
• —— (2023). Floodmeadow. Faber & Faber. ISBN   9780571376438.

References

1. Moul, Victoria. "Hearing the muse's hunting horn". Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
2. MacKenzie, Rob A. "Poetry and Fascism". Dark Horse Magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
3. "September 2025". Class Notes. Durham University. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
4. Mercer, Lucy. "Black Sun: An Interview with Toby Martinez de las Rivas". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
5. Beaver, Catherine; English, Duke (2023-05-03). "2023-24 Blackburn Artist In Residence - Toby Martinez de las Rivas | English Department". english.duke.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
6. "PN Review Print and Online Poetry Magazine - on Toby Martinez de las Rivas - Henry King - PN Review 244". www.pnreview.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
7. "Toby Martinez de las Rivas".
8. Darling, Kristina Marie (2016-10-14). "Seven Poems by Toby Martinez de la Rivas". Tupelo Quarterly. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
9. Jackson, Katy (6 March 2014). "Winners of The Wiener Library 2014 International Book Art Competition Announced". The Wiener Holocaust Library.
10. ""Urgent, engaged and inspirational" the shortlists 2018 Forward Prizes for Poetry".