'Door-to-Door' poet returning to Stamford Arts Centre

Rowan McCabe, the Door-to-Door Poet, returns to Stamford Arts Centre with his new show Hard Knocks on Wednesday 4 November.

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. It’s a bit like the Avon lady… but with rhymes. This became the core of his 2025 book The Door-to-Door Poet, that became a show on Radio 4.

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.

“Very funny and very charming”- Stuart Maconie

“Invaluable”- The Guardian

Supporting Rowan for the evening is Peterborough-based poet and rapper Mark Grist whose videos have clocked up 60 million views online, and whose children’s book Rhinos Don’t Cry was read by Danny Dyer on Ceebeebeeies in December 2025.

The evening at Stamford arts Centre starts at 7:30pm, tickets are £10