Matty Dreads Poetry

The Wilderness Voice is a soul-stirring collection of poems, songs, and tributes dedicated to Matthew Saunders Whiting—known to many as Matty Dread. Gardener, mystic, reggae DJ, prophet, poet, and beloved friend, Matty’s life was a tapestry woven from spiritual depth, fierce love, and righteous resistance. From childhood rhymes to prophetic protest, from tender love poems to mythic invocations of saints and sacred wells, this book traces the journey of a man who lived with integrity, humour, and an unshakable connection to Jah and the land. As Matty enters his final days in palliative care, this collection stands as a living archive of his voice—a voice that cried out from the wilderness, and will echo long after his body rests. Compiled by those who knew and loved him, this book is a celebration of Matty’s legacy, a testament to the power of poetry, and a call to remember the sacred in the everyday.