Rowan McCabe, the Door-to-Door Poet, returns to Stamford Arts Centre with his new show Hard Knocks on November 4, supported by Peterborough poet and rapper Mark Grist .

Rowan likes making a nuisance of himself with poetry. Over the past 10 years he’s been poet in residence in a pizza takeaway, in William Wordsworth’s childhood home and, once, on a miniature steam train. He's also the world's first Door-to-Door Poet and in 2019 he travelled all across England, knocking on strangers' doors and writing bespoke verses for them, for free, on any subject of their choosing.

Hard Knocks is a collection of all new material that lifts the lid on some of the most funny and challenging moments of this unconventional career path.

Expect stories of mistaken identity, odes to rebellious snails, and ruminations on time travelling public officials, all delivered with Rowan’s trademark warmth and wit.

Mark Grist’s videos have clocked up 60 million views online, and his children’s book Rhinos Don’t Cry was read by Danny Dyer on Cbeebies in December 2025.