Poetry & Publications
Nathan Hassall Honored with 1-Ton Poetry Stone in Malibu Legacy Park
On April 7th, 2026, the City of Malibu unveiled a new permanent tribute to the literary arts in the heart of the city. A one-ton basalt stone, engraved with the poem "In the Present" written by Nathan Hassall, was ceremonially placed in Malibu Legacy Park, marking the culmination of Nathan Hassall’s term as Malibu Poet Laureate (2023–2025).
Using an excavator to lift the 2000+ stone which was supplied by Art City Studios of Ventura, California—the city nestled the poetry stone under a holly tree in the heart of downtown Malibu. At age 35, Hassall is the youngest poet laureate in the city's history to have his work commemorated in Legacy Park.
Hassall is the fifth Poet Laureate to be honored in this way, joining the ranks of former laureates Ricardo Means Ybarra, Ellen Reich, Dr. John Struloeff, and Dr. Ann Buxie.
About Nathan Hassall
Nathan Hassall is an English-American poet and educator based in Malibu, California. Originally from Horsham, England, Nathan relocated to the U.S. in 2018 after finding love while earning his Master’s in Creative Writing with Distinction from the University of Kent.
Featured Published Poetry
“Letting You Go” | Arteidolia Magazine
“The Eye” | Moria
“Magician of the Cut Glass Cult” | Moria
”Perhaps it is Grief” | The Dew Drop
“Morning at Cedar Bloom (#3)” | Arteidolia
“The Doorway the Doorway the Endless Shattering Doorway” | Ghost City Review
“The Loss of an Old Friend” | Anti-Heroin Chic
“A Litany for Love” | Luna Luna Magazine
“An Irreplaceable Pinecone” | Hare’s Paw Review
“A Hospital Bed“ | La Piccioleta Barca
“So High” | La Piccioletta Barca
“Days Before the Wake” | Issue 8 of The Inflectionist Review
“Pills” | Watershed Review
5 Poems from Sleeper | Angry Old Man Magazine
Five Haiku | Arteidolia
“Veiled Moon” |Wales Haiku Journal
"Brown Pelican” | Meat for Tea Magazine
“Seasonal Lodging” | Eunoia Review
“In my living room, lying face up in meditation” | Eunoia Review
“To What is Divine” | Amethyst Review
Other Published Works & Experience
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Achievements, Awards & Honours
Founder of The Poetry Vessel | 2023 - Present
Poet Laureate of Malibu, CA | Sept. 2023-2025
The Haiku Foundation - Book of the Week| July 2023, Featuring dregsongs from blab cartilage (July 2023)
10th Anniversary Issue of Watershed Review| 2023, Poem Published, Pills
Winner of the My Haiku Pond Academy Quickie Challenge| May,2018, Winning Haiku, Pivoting Jackfruits
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Chapbooks & Reviews
dregsongs from blab cartilage | Experimental haikai chapbook first published in Denmark by Bones Journal, later featured by The Haiku Foundation’s Book of the Week
Black Metal Daily’s Listcrush 2022: The Nathan Hassall Edition | Black Metal Daily
Into the Eyes of the Cobra - A review of ‘Dreams of Fragmentation’ by Caailleach Calling | Black Metal Daily, album review
As Light Withers - A Review of ‘Necuratul’ by Order of Nosferat | Black Metal Daily, album review
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Experience & Education
Master of Arts (Distinction) in Creative Writing at the Universitiy of Kent, Canterbury England
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History at the University of Kent
Poetry Teacher at Malibu Elementary, Webster Elementary, and Malibu High School
Former Co-Founder & Editor of Guttural Magazine
Former Editor of The Luxembourg Review
Nathan Hassall featured in the Haiku Foundation’s “Book of the Week”!
July 31st, 2023, Nathan’s gendai haiku collection, dregsongs from blab cartilage, was featured as the “Book of the Week”!
To quote The Haiku Foundation,
“Nearly every important haiku poet has published at least one collection (and in some cases, scores) at one time or another, but given their short runs…they end up not being seen by a huge majority of the literary or haiku world. This archive will bring some of these interesting efforts to a larger audience…”